Survey FAQs
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Who takes the survey?
Half of all students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are asked to answer this survey.
Why was I selected to participate and what is the survey about?
We are asking half of all students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to answer the survey. The results will be used to guide policies to encourage a healthy, safe, and nondiscriminatory environment on campus. This survey is an important tool for us to assess current programs and to shape future policies.
What will the University of Wisconsin-Madison do with the results?
The results will be used to better understand the mental health climate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as well as growing needs and service utilization. This information will be used to make recommendations for changes to the policies and procedures related to mental health and well-being at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Learn more about the results of the 2018-2019 Healthy Minds Study data report.
What will I be asked to do?
This survey asks about your personal experience with mental health, your sleep habits, alcohol consumption as well as other topics.
Who will the email about the Healthy Minds Study come from?
Dr. Sarah Nolan, Director of UHS Mental Health Services, is the signatory on the recruiting email. The email sender will appear as ‘healthyminds-UW-Madison@umich.edu.’
Am I required to participate?
You do NOT have to participate in this survey, and if you do participate, you may skip any question you are not comfortable answering and may exit the survey at any time.
How will you handle cases where students screen positive for mental health issues?
At the end of the survey, all respondents will receive a list of local mental health resources. Students who indicate suicidal thoughts in the recent past or screen positively for a mental health condition (e.g., depression or anxiety) will also be presented with tailored resources and a special note emphasizing the importance of getting in touch with one of the listed resources.
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What if I need mental health services right now?
If you are in immediate need of mental health support, call our 24-hour crisis line at 608-265-5600 (option 9).
UHS offers a variety of mental health services for UW-Madison students. Visit our mental health website to learn more.
Will my answers be confidential?
Yes, your answers will be confidential. When you complete the survey, the link with your name, email, and IP address will be broken so that no one will be able to connect these with your survey answers. The results will be presented in summary form so no individual can be identified.
Identifying information will only be used to recruit students to the survey. This information will then be stored securely and separately from the response data, and destroyed once it is no longer of use. We further protect data using the rights granted to our team under our Certificate of Confidentiality.
Why take the survey?
The goal of this survey is to improve the climate around mental health at UW–Madison by better understanding students’ needs and the issues that impact them.
Learn more about the results of the 2018-2019 Healthy Minds Study data report.
Who is administering the survey/IRB?
The survey is sponsored by the University of Michigan. The main Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Healthy Minds Study is maintained under Advarra, a provider of IRB services in North America.
Why are you asking about these sensitive topics?
Our goal is to foster a safe and supportive environment where students can flourish, both academically and personally. To understand the climate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we need to ask direct questions about topics that some may find sensitive. It is only by directly collecting this information from you that we will be able to prevent negative experiences and effectively respond when they do happen.
How long will the survey take?
This survey should take most people approximately 30 minutes to complete. It may take up to 45 minutes for some individuals.
Where can I go to get more information about the national Healthy Minds Study?
You can learn more about the national Healthy Minds Study led by University of Michigan on the Healthy Minds Network website.