1. College Sports and Mental Health
 Tyler Hilinski had a standout sophomore season at Washington State in 2017, but just a few weeks after the season ended he took his own life."Sports is often seen as a laboratory for the bigger world, a microcosm within which we can learn about the human condition, and where we can test theories before applying them more generally. It also boasts passionate and highly engaged fan bases, and can be a powerful medium for focusing attention on a particular topic. As college sports turns its attention to mental health, it could drive innovation that might have a wider impact on non-athletes and non-students as well." After losing their son, Tyler, to a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head, Kym and Mark Hilinski focused on tackling depression, a common symptom in many neurodegenerative diseases, though also a wider problem. They launched the Hilinski’s Hope Foundation last year to “promote awareness and education of mental health and wellness for student athletes.”
The foundation already counts 16 universities, including Washington State and South Carolina, and two of college football’s Power Five conferences, the ACC and SEC, among its sponsors and partners. It works with Behind Happy Faces, an online mental health curriculum, and Step UP!, a program developed by the NCAA and the University of Arizona that educates students about ways to help others. Behind Happy Faces currently serves more than 70,000 high school and college students, and the NCAA is planning a study of the program at six universities.
Earlier this year, Hilinski’s Hope also partnered with the NCAA Sports Science Institute to support the development of “evidence-based approaches” for health screening of student athletes. The Institute published its first official guidelines on mental health in 2016, promoting student-athlete screening, counseling and programs that support overall mental wellbeing. >> Why It Matters: In 2017, the National Institute of Mental Health reported that 17.3 million U.S. adults suffered at least one major depressive episode, a prevalence of 7.3%. That same year, suicide was the tenth biggest cause of death in the U.S., accounting for 47,173 lives lost. >> Reality Check: Research from professor Daniel Eisenberg from the U. of Michigan School of Public Health has shown that 40% of both students and student-athletes experience symptoms of depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions. Of that group, a further 40% typically seek help, indicating that 24% of the student body may suffer from an unaddressed mental health concern. >> Keep Reading from Jen Booton, SportsTechie
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