Penn Wellness reduces number of Mantra Health therapy sessions offered each year

Wellness at Penn has reduced the number of select teletherapy sessions available to students each year from 12 to eight, citing low use rates.

The University partners with Mantra Health, a digital mental health clinic, to provide sophomores and upperclassmen with virtual therapy sessions and counseling resources. The reduction followed a review process that found students attended an average of four sessions per year.

“This adjustment remains well above the average student utilization while allowing twice as many students to access Mantra services within our contractual limits,” a Wellness at Penn spokesperson wrote in a statement.

Due to a brief pause in telehealth offerings last year, the change also aims to prevent future disruptions in intake appointments, the initial sessions mental health professionals use to evaluate a patient’s history and develop a plan for care. The spokesperson wrote that they are “confident” this approach will prevent a future pause.

The resource is only available to sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have paid Penn’s clinical fee. First-year students are “encouraged” to work with Wellness at Penn’s counselors during their transition to campus life in order to “connect them with appropriate support,” the spokesperson added.

“All students continue to have access to 24/7 counseling and mental health support through Wellness at Penn,” they wrote.

The Mantra Health partnership was announced in November 2024 with the goal of expanding students’ access to mental health resources. In addition to virtual therapy sessions, Mantra Health hosts a library of more than 40 short life skill-building modules, peer support programs, and self-assessment tools.

The modules are designed to supplement the work of Wellness at Penn’s counseling teams. For example, if a counselor identifies a specific treatment goal for a student, they can utilize the self-care modules as additional support.

“Our therapists can pull from the library of modules to further their work,” Chief Wellness Officer Benoit Dubé said in an interview at the time of the announcement.

Wellness at Penn’s other services include the Wellness Express Vending Machine at the ARCH building, where students can get Narcan, medication, menstrual products, and first-aid supplies free of charge.

The office also launched the “be aware” program last year, a Canvas course that teaches students how to determine signs of distress among their peers.

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