Students Advocating for Mental Health (SAMH)

SAMH Committee Purpose, Objectives, Roles

The purpose of the SAMH committee is to serve as a platform for members of the committee to inform the student body on the parameters of The Hill’s various mental health programs and for community members to voice concerns. The committee will not oversee any rehabilitation or perform peer counseling of students, rather advocate for, and encourage those in need of services. Committee head-chairpersons will quarterly join the faculty well-being group to bring the student voice to the Well-being Committee as student mental health and well-being is addressed on campus.

Roles and Responsibilities

SAMH is an action-oriented student group that brings awareness to the student body regarding topics of mental health. SAMH will be in close partnership with the Counseling Office, and all meetings held will be supervised by a licensed clinician through the Counseling Office. This will ensure all information shared to our student body is accurate, and the committee is continuously updated on the best methods to promote mental health awareness. Our first and most important priority will be the wellbeing and safety of our community, thus the Counseling Office will have full access to all information shared in the committee.

Objectives of the SAMH

The SAMH Objectives:

Provide mental health awareness education;
Provide information about our programs and initiatives regarding mental health;
Educate students how to stay in a healthy mindset, and inform what Hill is doing to help;
Getting students involved promotes initiatives and leadership;
Help with initiatives and events throughout the year each with different focuses;
Work across all platforms within The Hill School to deliver cohesive messaging and programming based on selected prevention topics;
Work with other committees when concerns are identified to strengthen the approach to wellbeing programming;
Help decrease the stigma with receiving mental health support;
Work with the student body, faculty, administration, and Counseling Office to improve mental health care.

Events

Caylie Zigner '25, Co-Chair

I know that a place like Hill can be overwhelming, with our myriad commitments from academics to athletics to our social lives. I’ve experienced this firsthand through my peers and myself, which is the core reason I joined SAMH. Through my position of leadership, I hope to open the door for conversations about mental health that will make everyone feel seen and heard. I hope that our work as an organization will help students feel more comfortable and in control and raise awareness for issues they may not be aware of. As SAMH Co-Chair, I strive to support and educate my peers to ensure a safe environment for all.

Josh Bala '25, Co-Chair

When students are asked about what SAMH is and what they do, a common response is, “that is our mental health organization, a group of students that advocate for mental health around all areas of campus.” As SAMH Co-Chair, by focusing on student driven needs, and mental health difficulties faced daily, I want to attack those needs and challenges for the better. Find ways we as a collective, can help students academically, athletically, and personally strive with a healthy mind. My past three years as a student at Hill and frankly, as a person, I was able to put a smile on my face but could never really find a reason why. I felt hidden, lost, and did not know if I had a purpose or would find a way to better myself. I chose to run for SAMH to be a part of the amazing group and help make it a stronger, more well-known program around campus and the local area so that I and everyone else could find a purpose. When I received the great news that I would be leading as one of the co-chairs, I was thrilled to know that I would play a major role in the group as well as a person for students to come to for anything. If you ask me in May of 2025 what SAMH is all about, I will tell you that “SAMH is a group of familiar faces, making one of the greatest impacts on campus. A group that influences the way mental health is applied and translated so that every single student doesn’t look at SAMH as a 'club' but as a group of peers that can always reach out a hand.”

SAMH Student Leadership

Caroline Grable '25 - Senior Events Coordinator
Barkley Reid '26 - Events
Jennifer Lee '25 - Events
Harper Lathem - Lead Arts/Publicity
Adhith Gadde '25 - Liason

Students Advocating for Mental Health (SAMH)

SAMH Committee Purpose, Objectives, Roles

What is the SAMH Committee?

Purpose of the SAMH Committee

Roles and Responsibilities

Objectives of the SAMH

Events

Caylie Zigner '25, Co-Chair

Josh Bala '25, Co-Chair

SAMH Student Leadership

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