Only four in 10 college students graduate from a four-year college. And while there’s no shortage of reasons for that fact, most are rooted in financial difficulties. Nearly 80% of students delay graduation due to lack of financial resources — and over 50% drop out due to lack of money. This makes sense when you consider that 60% of students don’t get any financial help from their parents.
Students facing basic needs insecurity are at colleges and universities across the country. A Hope Center Survey found nearly three in five higher education students experienced basic needs insecurity. And more than half did not apply for any support because they didn’t know how. Three out of four community college students said a lack of basic needs such as housing, food, and childcare caused them emotional distress, stress, and/or anxiety in a national TimelyCare survey.
TimelyCare began providing basic needs support in 2021, based on feedback from partner schools. Basic needs must be met for students to thrive in other areas of their lives such as school, work, health, and relationships. Financial help, food, and housing were the top requests for basic needs support through TimelyCare In the first three-quarters of 2023. Other support areas include transportation, childcare, and legal services.
How insecure students were impacted by the pandemic
It’s impossible to ignore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In The Hope Center’s report entering fall 2020, it found that among 200,000 college students surveyed:
- 41% had a close friend or family member who contracted COVID-19
- 7% became sick with COVID-19
- 39% at two-year institutions and 29% at four-year institutions were affected by food insecurity
- 48% were affected by housing security issues
- 14% were affected by homelessness
Financial resources are critical to students who face basic needs security. Of these students, 32% of the students surveyed received emergency aid, and 18% received SNAP. Perhaps the most shocking statistic from this report is that 52% of students did not apply for support services due to a lack of knowledge on how to do so.
A report from the U.S. Education Department’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) supports The Hope Center’s findings. During spring 2020, over 100,000 students were surveyed on their experiences with food and housing insecurity. It confirmed that college students face higher rates of food and housing insecurity than the general population. The NCES data found that 22.6% of undergraduates and 12.2% of graduate students experience food insecurity, while 8% of undergraduates and 4.6% of graduate students experience homelessness.
As told to Inside Higher Ed, Kevin Kruger, president and CEO of NASPA: Student Affairs Administrations in Higher Education said, “I think it’s easy to assume where you think these problems are, what the issues are. But it’s really a national problem. There may be more depth to it at certain kinds of institutions … [but] this cuts across all institutions.”
This is where TimelyCare’s basic needs support comes in to impact student health and wellness. This support service was created to address the barriers caused by financial difficulties by connecting students with free or reduced-cost programs based on need and location.
Discover how telehealth supports student basic needs
Questions about basic needs support at colleges and universities
To learn how basic needs support works for colleges and universities, Patient Care Advisor Laura Kennemer shares more information about the service and the impact already made with this type of support.What is basic needs support and why start it?
Basic needs support was TimelyCare’s response to a need we saw with the college students at partner institutions. There was a trend that community college students were being referred to patient care advisors because they had problems getting their basic needs met, such as food and/or housing. TimelyCare acknowledges that social determinants of health are conditions in these students’ communities that affect their ability to be healthy and successful in school. We want to improve student access to:
- Health care and mental health care
- Career placement and employment
- Healthy foods
- Stable housing options
- Transportation
The National Center for Education Statistics reports that “low-income students are less likely to complete their study programs than other students. In 2015, the center reported that just about 16% of the poorest students were able to graduate college. By comparison, about 60% of the wealthiest students graduated.”
We want to support community college students, along with students at four-year public and private colleges and universities, by helping them get their needs met so they can then be successful students and achieve academic success. Connecting students with community and campus resources is a win for the students and their colleges.
How does basic needs support work?
Students can access services under the guidance of a social worker or our staff the same way they can access a physician or counselor. Students refer themselves to basic needs support or can be referred by a medical or mental health provider. The social worker looks for resources in the students’ communities to refer them to the appropriate organization.
What is your role in students’ basic needs support?
I am a social worker and work with my team to help students find resources in their community that will help them with their in-the-moment needs. The role of our team is to be a friendly, supportive voice that listens, understands, and then works to help them connect to the right resources to stay on track and in class.
How does basic needs support benefit students?
What are some examples of how you engage students?
I had the opportunity to provide support to a community college student who lives in California. She was studying accounting and had recently started a job in an accounting position. She was living with a family member, but they got into a fight that led to her moving out. She relocated to a hotel that cost $1,000 per week. After using TimelyCare’s TalkNow service for on-demand emotional support, the provider referred her to me for basic needs support. I called her, listened to what was going on in her life, and then helped identify housing options in her community. I was able to connect her to a housing access center in her town that is managed by the county, housing resources on her college’s website, and a property management company in her community that had affordable housing options.
Another community college student in Texas shared with me that she needed counseling services for her young daughter. In that instance, I found several counseling centers in her community that provide pediatric counseling and referred her to them.
At TimelyCare, we use a program for text message outreach to all students who use our care provider services. A community college student in California, who had used TalkNow for on-demand mental health service, sent the following text:
I called this student, and we talked for a long time. I identified a Women’s Safe Shelter in her community and encouraged her to connect with that organization so they could support her as she made decisions about her safety, housing, and restraining orders.
What are the organizations with which you connect students?
I connect students with government and county agencies, non-profit organizations, and campus resources that will help them get what they need. Examples of these resources include food pantries on or near their campuses, county housing assistance programs, and mental health providers in their communities that use sliding-fee scale payment methods.
Why would a college or university want basic needs support for college students?
Colleges and universities can benefit from TimelyCare’s basic needs support because it is a powerful resource that connects students to the resources they need to stay in school. It helps them meet their basic needs for housing, food, employment, transportation, and safety. Once a student has basic needs security, they are far more likely to see improved academic performance.
What are the long-term benefits of basic needs support for students and schools?
The long-term benefits of basic needs support are healthier communities and economies. Students who are gainfully employed in careers they find rewarding will be engaged members of our society and better able to connect with others in meaningful, healthy, and productive ways.
The health of your college campus has a direct impact on student success. When college students’ basic needs are met, they are empowered to take control of their education and academic success. To learn more about how to support students, customize a health and well-being solution for your students, and integrate it with your campus healthcare resources, contact TimelyCare.
Let's eliminate barriers to student success
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