What is a Mental Health Adviser (MHA)?

The provision of mental health and wellbeing services tends to vary for each university but usually includes Student Support/Welfare services which are staffed by mental health professionals. This may include Mental Health Advisers, Disability Advisers, Mental Health Mentors, Wellbeing Advisers and Counsellors.

The role of a MHA is to support students who may be experiencing emotional or psychological distress or personal difficulties due to a mental health condition. Whilst the job title and remit of their role may differ across each university, typically, a MHA will be able to co-ordinate support for students with mental health conditions and act as a point of contact for the duration of their studies. They will normally have a professional background such as Psychiatric Nursing, Occupational Health or Social Work and/or extensive experience of supporting people with long-term mental health conditions.

How can a Mental Health Adviser support me?

Mental Health Advisers may work alongside the Disability service or Counselling service, but their role is very different to a counsellor. The focus of the role is to support students in managing the impact of their mental health condition during their time at university, removing barriers to successful study. 

A MHA will be able to support and encourage you to consider your rights and think about any additional resources which may help you to access education. 

This may include, for example, adjustments in the learning and teaching environment, and formal academic assessments so that the specific effects of your difficulties can be taken into account (e.g. extra time if you have concentration or processing difficulties). 

For some, this may involve applying for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) to facilitate access to education, notably through the provision of additional resources such as education and mental health-specific support. Each case will be viewed independently and will vary according to the students’ needs.

Many Mental Health Advisers work closely with students with complex needs or those at a critical stage in their study and social circumstances to manage their safety. They have extensive experience of working with students experiencing a mental health crisis, including those who are feeling suicidal or have been sectioned.  

They also support students to develop psychological mechanisms that enable them to deal with their difficulties by drawing on a range of evidence based interventions.

MHAs will normally have extensive knowledge of statutory services, and local provision, and can provide advice on transitioning to adult services, transferring your care and signposting to therapeutic and medical services. They can help you return to study after crisis intervention, but cannot be named on discharge plans unless this has been specifically agreed with them in advance. 

Some MHAs work closely with NHS Early Intervention services - completing assessments and referring students into these services, participating in multidisciplinary team meetings regularly to ensure a joined up approach and offering consultation across the institution. 

How do I find out about university support services?

We advise you to look on the specific university or higher education provider website. You can also find out if your university has a UMHAN represented Mental Health Adviser by consulting our public register of members. 

It is also important to remember that there is often a variety of support available to you as a student. This can include university support services, student led groups and listening services, or your GP. 

You may find that some services or options are not appropriate for you and your needs but a different form of support may work well for you. You can find out more about the support available to you by looking on your university website, or speaking to the support service at your university.

You can normally contact a Mental Health Adviser/team in advance of starting your course at university, for advice on any of issues above. Open Days and applicant visit days can also be a good time to have an informal chat, but it is worth checking in advance if the team is going to be there on the day you are visiting.