2. About UMHAN
A national network of Higher Education Mental Health Advisers
Over 200 members across over 90 institutions
Focused on helping our members provide practical support to students with mental health difficulties
Mental health advisers are not counsellors, but rather provide practical information and guidance for students facing mental health difficulties, and help them access support they are entitled to.

3. The UMHAN Committee
The UMHAN Committee is made up of Mental Health Advisers from across the UK, and supported by a full-time Development and Operations Worker.

4. UMHAN’s Aims
1) Influence policy development which relates to people with mental health difficulties across the sector and generally, developing UMHAN policy positions on relevant issues. 2) Remove the barriers to the full participation of people with mental health difficulties in Higher Education and society generally. 3) Promote the health and citizenship of people with mental health difficulties. 4) Develop the disability rights agenda to more accurately reflect the particular needs and interests of people with mental health difficulties. 5) Encourage the development of a culture in which people with mental health difficulties studying at Higher Education level becomes a mainstream notion.  6) Advocate to, and liaise with, relevant bodies to promote the rights and interests of students with mental health difficulties, and to try to ensure that proportionate weighting is given to these issues in policy terms.

5. I Chose To Disclose
Disclosure rates are extremely low – just 1 in 125 students disclose a mental health difficulty (Equality Challenge Unit report)
Equality Challenge Unit: 78% of student respondents with experience of mental health difficulties who had received support or adjustments said this had a positive or very positive effect on their studies and other experiences at university.
#IChoseToDisclose Campaign aims to empower students to make an informed decision by clarifying the process of disclosure.
The campaign has been used on campuses and recently UMHAN wrote blog posts for UCAS about the process of disclosing.

6. Policy position statements
Guidance for DSA Needs Assessors
A survey of DSA Study Needs Assessors and Assessment Centre Managers,undertaken in July 2012 on behalf of BIS, identified that mental health is an area inwhich Needs Assessors may be less experienced or confident.
In response, UMHAN wrote a document for Needs Assessors giving background information and key principles for helping students with mental health difficulties
Currently developing training for DSA Needs Assessors to increase knowledge, confidence and skills in working with students with mental health difficulties.
More position statements may be seen at

7. University Mental Health Day
A national campaign on campuses across the UK to get students and staff talking openly about mental health
​Started by UMHAN in 2012 and supported by Student Minds and the Alliance for Student-Led Wellbeing
An opportunity to bring together all the key players in student mental health
In 2016, over 70 universities participated, including more than 3000 students and 650 members of staff. Using the hashtag #UniMentalHealthDay, our social media reach was 6,629,405 people.

8. University Mental Health Day 2017
2nd of March 2017
Theme: Mental Health & Activity (Sport)
Open up conversations on the link between mental and physical wellbeing
Address barriers to participation in sports/ discuss support around over- exercising
Involve both students and staff: organising activities, collaboration, an opportunity for discussion.
See or sign up to our newsletter for more information - guides to running events coming soon!

9. University Mental Health Advisers Network
Get in touch!
website: facebook: /umhanuk phone:
University Mental Health Advisers Network
16-17 Turl Street, Second Floor, Oxford, OX1 3DH   Registered charity number: