The Center for Mental Health Care and Resources (CMHCR) at Georgia Tech has received renewal of its accreditation from the International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS). With more than 30 years of continuous accreditation already on the record, the renewal reaffirms that the Center continues to meet nationally recognized standards for counseling services, clinical practices, and student support, reflecting its ongoing commitment to providing high-quality mental health care and resources for Georgia Tech students.

The accreditation renewal comes at a time when student mental health remains a significant focus across higher education. According to the Healthy Minds Study, 37% of college students reported moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms and 32% reported moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms in 2025. 

The IACS re-accreditation process involves a comprehensive examination of mental health center operations, services, resources, and relationships within the college community. Centers must submit detailed documentation and undergo an on-site evaluation conducted by peer reviewers. 

“Georgia Tech exemplifies collegiate mental health,” said Annie Patterson, IACS executive director. “Their (CMHCR) commitment to student mental health, as evidenced by the quality of their operations and the dedication of their staff, serves as an example to other counseling centers within higher education.”

In its review, the IACS committee praised CMHCR for enhanced services at Georgia Tech, including its focus on supporting returning students’ ongoing mental health care and staff training with CMHCR and the Office of the Dean of Students on new procedures. 

CMHCR serves as Georgia Tech’s primary hub for student mental health support, offering counseling, crisis response, consultation, outreach, and referral services. In recent years, the center has expanded access and improved care so students can receive timely, high-quality mental health support. These achievements include:

• Increasing access to mental health services through its Satellite program, where counselors are stationed in each of Georgia Tech’s six colleges.
• Reducing and keeping wait times for an initial appointment to less than five days, and students seeking services for a crisis can be seen within 30 minutes.
• Providing opportunities through the Collegiate Recovery Program for students in recovery from substance abuse to connect with peers, strengthen their healing, and build community while pursuing their academic goals.
• Reducing off-campus referrals by 53% from Academic Year 2024-2025 to Academic Year 2025-2026, allowing more students to receive care on campus after students reported that accessing off-campus counseling can be challenging.
• Through a partnership with the University System of Georgia, offering students access to Uwill, an online counseling platform that provides three free sessions with a licensed counselor.

While the accreditation renewal recognizes the Center’s success, Dr. Vidal Annan, the center’s senior director, said the focus remains on continually improving services and responding to the evolving needs of Georgia Tech students. 

“I was very pleased with the results from the IACS review, as my goal for the center is to continue to have high-quality counseling services for all students. My staff and I take pride in what we do, and we find joy in helping students strengthen their mental well-being and achieve their personal and academic goals on campus,” said Dr. Annan.

Students can learn more about CMHCR services, schedule appointments, and explore mental health resources on the CMHCR website or by visiting the center in the Smithgall Student Services (Flag) Building, Suite 238.