UNCP Expands Student Healthcare with Telepsychiatry, Eye Care Services
UNCP is expanding access to specialized healthcare for students by introducing telepsychiatry and medical eye care services at the Brave Health Center, bringing additional mental health support and vision care directly to campus.
University leaders and healthcare partners celebrated the expansion last week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, highlighting new services designed to reduce barriers to care and support students' health, well-being and academic success.
“Students’ mental and physical health play a significant role in their ability to thrive and be successful,” said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings. “By expanding access to these services, we are reducing barriers to helping students get the support they need to thrive at UNCP.”
The expansion includes the North Carolina Statewide Telepsychiatry Program (NC-STeP), which began serving UNCP students earlier this semester, and medical eye care services provided by faculty from the university's College of Optometric Medicine, with appointments beginning Nov. 9.
NC-STeP brings specialized behavioral healthcare to campus through a partnership with ECU’s Center for Telepsychiatry and e-Behavioral Health, supported by a $1.5 million investment from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. The initiative is designed to improve access to mental health services, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Through the program, students receive care through Student Health Services working with an embedded behavioral health care manager who provides care coordination, case management and brief psychotherapy. When additional support is needed, students can connect virtually with a board-certified psychiatrist for evaluation and medication recommendations.
During the program’s first two months, Student Health Services reviewed nearly 2,000 depression and anxiety screening tools with students, helping identify potential concerns and connect students with appropriate care.
“This investment allows us to bring high-quality, evidence-based behavioral healthcare directly to students where they are,” said Dr. Sy Saeed, founder and executive director of NC-STeP and professor and chair emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry at ECU’s Brody School of Medicine. “College is a pivotal period in life, and many mental health challenges first emerge during these years. By integrating psychiatric expertise into campus health services, we’re reducing barriers to care, supporting earlier intervention, and helping students succeed academically, personally, and professionally.”
Saeed said UNCP was an ideal partner because of its commitment to student success and its location in Robeson County, where access to behavioral health care remains a challenge. The partnership also creates an opportunity to develop a model that could be replicated at other college campuses across North Carolina.
For the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, the investment reflects a broader commitment to improving access to mental healthcare for young adults.
“Strengthening youth mental health is one of our key focus areas,” said Colleen Briggs, president of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. “NC-STeP is helping bring mental health care closer to where students live and learn and making it easier for young people to get the support they need.”
The expansion also marks an important early developmental step for UNCP's College of Optometric Medicine, which will provide medical eye care services to students through the Brave Health Center.
Licensed optometric physicians from the college's faculty, including founding faculty members Jack Davis and Randy Kirby, will provide the services, extending the college's clinical expertise directly to the campus community.
“Today is a particularly meaningful occasion for the college and the university,” said Dr. Rich Castillo, founding dean of the College of Optometric Medicine. “With the opening of medical eye care services at the Brave Health Center, students will have access to advanced eye care services provided by licensed optometric physicians from our own faculty.”
Initial services will focus on basic medical eye care needs, including vision loss and eye examinations. The university plans to expand services over time to include eyeglasses and contact lenses.
Castillo emphasized the importance of vision care to academic success. Comprehensive eye examinations can identify concerns that students may not recognize themselves, helping address potential barriers to reading and academic performance and allowing concerns that affect reading, learning and daily activities to be addressed.
The introduction of faculty-provided eye care represents another step in the university’s broader clinical mission as UNCP continues to expand health sciences education and services in southeastern North Carolina. The College of Optometric Medicine is currently seeking accreditation from the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE). Academic leaders and licensed faculty are required to be in place very early in the process.
Construction is underway on the $96.8 million Clinical Sciences Building, which will house the College of Optometric Medicine and additional clinical sciences programs. The building is scheduled to open in August 2028.
Students interested in telepsychiatry or medical eye care services, or who would like to schedule an appointment, may contact the Brave Health Center at 910.521.6219.
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