Aspiria Corp. Expands Its Student Assistance Programs to Educational Institutions Across Canada

Toronto, Canada, October 13, 2016 --(PR.com)-- Mental health assistance provider Aspiria Corp. is pleased to announce that it has expanded its Student Assistance Program (SAP) to over 20 colleges and universities across Canada. This move comes five years after Aspiria entered the student market with their mental health assistance services.

Aspiria’s goal was to create a program that would go beyond a regular student assistance program. In addition to round-the-clock counselling services, students can take advantage of life coaching and financial, nutrition and legal support, resulting in an all-encompassing approach to the mental health care needed in the life of a student.

Aspiria Founder & CEO Charles Benayon made the strategic decision to expand its assistance program to the student market when he saw the lack of resources available for students, “We are seeing a surge in the number of mental health issues affecting students across Canada at every level of the educational system, from 1st year students adjusting to university and college life, to exam pressure, to more life-threatening issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, accidents and deaths due to driving under the influence, and suicides. We took our time to create a program that was unique to the student market, one that would backfill mental health resources currently in place, significantly increasing accessibility to mental health resources for students.”

Kids Help Phone recently released the results of a 2016 survey, which found that “one in five teens in Canada reported that they had seriously considered suicide in the last 12 months and of those teens, almost half had formulated a plan.” This statistic shocked Mr. Benayon, “These astonishing results are on a collision course with parents’ well-meaning beliefs that our children are mostly well-adjusted individuals.”

Durham College was the first school to adopt Aspiria’s SAP service in 2011, and as a result of the unparalleled service they received, they remain a client today. Durham College’s Vice-President of Student Affairs, Meri Kim Oliver stated, "Aspiria's robust SAP service has changed the way we look at mental health on campus. As a large majority of our students commute to school, the ability to access these services from home has been incredibly beneficial for our students. While there is mental health support on campus, students may need help outside of regular office hours. Aspiria's SAP offers students a diverse range of affordable, accessible mental health care assistance wherever and whenever they need it."

In addition to each school’s unique Student Assistance Program, Aspiria has developed a mental health service app, iAspiria, which allows students to access mental health counsellors and resources from the comfort of their mobile device. Aspiria plans to grow their SAP services to reach even more students grappling with mental health issues. Mr. Benayon is incredibly excited for this program to grow: “With a greater emphasis on student choice and strategic, promotional awareness campaigns, we are creating greater access to immediate mental health services for students, when they need it, and where they need it.”