Parents and students think about many things before the start of college - tuition, class schedules, majors, meal plans, and residence halls. Few people think about health and wellness resources on campus and how students benefit from these services. Health Outreach, Promotion & Education (HOPE), part of Rutgers Student Health, offers a diverse range of services that can help students be successful.

Over the past several years, HOPE has worked with the CSP in many ways. We facilitate Campus Connect Suicide Prevention Gatekeeping Training for the peer mentors annually. For several years, the CSP has been a guest in Principles of Health & Wellness classes, providing an overview of autism spectrum disorders and facilitating a panel discussion with CSP students. SHADES Theater Workshops for CSP students help create solutions to common issues in dating, relationships, and more.

The outreach that HOPE provides benefits all students in key areas such as mental health and suicide prevention, sexual and reproductive health, alcohol and other drug education, nutrition, and overall wellness. Peer education is the main way we work across the campus. Our peer educators provide interactive workshops and outreach in residence halls, student organizations, classrooms, and fraternities and sororities. They understand that in any of these environments, they may be working with students with ASD. Unless they are facilitating a program for the CSP, they don’t know if any students with ASD are participating. Peer education provides valuable tools and skills to students to make the best decisions related to their health and wellness. It is not a “don’t do this!” approach but instead, employs risk reduction skills to move students towards the best decision for them. Peer educators build skills in facilitation, content knowledge, group process, and leadership. Students with ASD might also be peer educators.

HOPE utilizes the seven dimensions of health model, incorporating physical, emotional, social, spiritual, financial, environmental, and academic wellness into all aspects of our work. Like all students, students with ASD are learning how to manage all that college offers from academics to social life with an added complexity. Students with ASD still need to know about stress, time management, mental health issues, alcohol and other drugs, nutrition, and sexual health. Having this knowledge and learning the skills needed to make the best decisions can lead to success both inside and outside the classroom.

HOPE is just one part of Rutgers Student Health. Other services include medical and mental health. To find out more about all of our services, go to the website, Rutgers Student Health. Here you will find information about services, making appointments, and all of our virtual resources. It does not matter if a student is living at home, on- or off-campus; all services are available to students.

For students with autism, we know that these everyday challenges can be heightened, so Residence Life is available to assist our students when they need us most. One of the challenges when working with students with autism is helping them balance their need for privacy, while also avoiding isolation. Many students request to live in a single room so that they have space to decompress after a long day of school, but living in a single room can also lead to isolation – students miss out on the experience of living with a roommate, and may find it challenging to attend social events with peers that they’ve never met before. And, students who choose to live with a roommate experience the challenges of sharing a space with someone who may not always be sensitive to their unique needs.

I first started working with the CSP my junior year, and I currently serve as Co-President of the Peer Mentor E-Board. This program has meant so much to me over that past two years. My younger brother is on the autism spectrum, which resulted in my working with Special Olympics for years, and it's what brought me to the CSP in college. What was new to me, was instead of working with younger students, working with students my own age. And, I will not lie, I like it so much better.

My interactions with the students are like that of peers and genuine friends. We talk about good movies we saw, crazy things we see happen on campus, and the pressures we face in college. From my experience, interacting with my students as friends first, mentees second, has allowed for a more productive relationship on both ends. I am learning more about working with this population and the struggles they face, which might not be the ones that first come to mind. The students are gaining advice and tips on how to navigate Rutgers from a student who has done it all before- a mutually beneficial friendship.

To support our students properly, we have to understand ourselves. What do the people in your life do daily to show they support you academically, mentally and socially? How do we support our siblings, friends and teammates to demonstrate that we care about their well-being? I think being a friend first is the best way to support them. Allowing time to build a bond between you and your student creates trust and not a “forced friendship” that some students may think they are getting. At this point, my student knows so much about my siblings and asks ME about them (and my dog) almost every week!

Being honest about things happening in your life opens the door for them being honest about things happening in their life. While we try to stick to a regular meeting schedule, I have, on multiple occasions, texted my student asking to cancel because I was extremely behind on homework. On the same note, I have had my student text me saying that they will fall asleep during our meeting if we meet and ask if we can do it later. Personally, sometimes I need support or reminders about assignments, or that the exam stressing me out will eventually be over. I pass this along to my students as well. If they tell me they might have missed a few assignments, I will ask if they use an agenda, because I use one and it helps me stay organized. Suggesting something like checking your emails or class websites each morning and writing down everything that needs to get done that day can be helpful, because it is something I have used before. Or, if they say that their girlfriend broke up with them, I tell them the best place to get cheap ice cream, because that is what I do when relationships end. Reminding them how great they are when they feel low is needed for anyone going through a hard time.

I try my best to insert positive affirmations when I can, because that is what my friends do for me. College is hard for everyone, and we all need support. Being a friend and giving them the support they need by using your own perspective of what you need grants room for trust and growth. This developing friendship allows for inside jokes, a safe space to talk, and, in my opinion, a better college experience for us both. Being there for our students makes CSP so effective and a great program to be a part of. Having mentors be friends first, mentees second, creates a bond that can mature into a lifelong friendship.

Should you have any questions about volunteering as a CSP Peer Mentor, please email us at Peer Mentor Executive Board.

Rutgers-ODS also partners closely with other campus resources such as Residence Life, the Dean of Students, The Learning Centers, and more to ensure that students are aware of how to connect with these services.

If you have any questions, or would like further information, please visit our website. We look forward to working with you!

Bartle-Haring, S., Brucker, P., & Hock, E. (2002). The impact of parental separation anxiety on identity development in late adolescence and early adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Research, 17(5), 439-450.

Van Hees, V., Roeyers, H., & De Mol, J. (2018). Students with autism spectrum disorder and their parents in the transition into higher education: Impact on dynamics in the parent–child relationship. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,

Everyone deserves a place in the world! The groundbreaking report, A Place in the World, has officially launched, and we're so excited to share it with the public! It sheds light on a number of issues such as housing, that neurodiverse adults and their caretakers face. This remarkable report provides evidence-based practices for tackling these matters.

RCAAS' very own Executive Director, Dr. Christopher Manente, lent his expertise to this initiative and was proud to be a part of this transformative project. Learn more here and help raise the bar for a new generation of options, so that adults with ASD no longer have their diagnosis stand in the way of jobs, supportive communities, or owning a home.

Recently, Dr. Manente sat down with the hosts of RU's Institutional Planning and Operations' Rutgers IP&O from Home. The episode raises awareness about our new building center, the value adults on the autism spectrum add to society, our mission to advocate for and seek to improve their quality of life, how we are positively impacting the Rutgers community as a whole and more! Watch the interview!