LSU launches new program to offer lifetime mental-health support for all alumni student-athletes

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – LSU Athletics and Our Lady of the Lake Health have partnered with Hall of Fame Health to provide all alumni student-athletes with access to a lifetime of mental health support through Tiger Legacy Care.

Through Tiger Legacy Care, all LSU Athletics alumni and their families will have indefinite access to the Hall of Fame Health mental health network. This access is extended to alumni of the 21 varsity athletic programs at LSU and their families.

“Life after sports isn’t always an easy transition,” said Shelly Mullenix, LSU’s senior associate AD for health and wellness. “The idea is that if we can find a way to connect them to the elite care that they received while here at LSU, they would have a more seamless transition to address some of those issues that happen in life.”

Originally developed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame to provide healthcare solutions for former NFL players and their families, the Health Hall of Fame provides a full spectrum of mental health, behavioral health and consumer services. of substances.

Through this partnership, LSU will become the first university in the nation to offer lifetime behavioral health services to all alumni athletes and their immediate families, with focus areas such as stress and emotional regulation, depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, and PTSD. , and more.

“When the Championship Health Partnership was formed, the mission was to uplift the entire state through collaborative efforts like this,” Mullenix said. “This agreement with Hall of Fame Health will ensure that generations of Tigers continue to receive the world-class care they have enjoyed at LSU long after their athletic careers are complete.”

Former LSU student-athletes and their families will have access to a dedicated concierge call line (866-578-9989), a 24/7 mental health crisis hotline (866- 901-1245), preferential access to select clinical programs, a list of vetted and credentialed providers, and discounted provider pricing.

“As a proud Tiger alumnus and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I am happy to see LSU join Hall of Fame Health as the first NCAA program to offer world-class mental and behavioral health services. to all of their former athletes,” said Alan Faneca, former LSU All-American and NFL Hall of Famer. “Good mental health is essential as we compete in sports and move through life because the challenges never stop coming. This partnership will offer our former LSU athletes the support and care to help them continue to achieve their goals for the rest of their lives. Once a tiger, always a tiger!”

“Being an athlete, we face the same daily stresses that everyone else does, from balancing family to everyday life,” said former Tiger wide receiver and current Detroit Lion DJ Chark. “I learned to use meditation as well as a therapist, and I try to stay in the present to help me through life’s challenges. All former LSU athletes need access to the same tools and resources. That is why Tiger Legacy Care is a necessary resource for the LSU Athletics family.”

The program will be funded by the Tiger Athletic Foundation’s Our Lady of the Lake Programmatic Support Fund for LSU Athletics, which was created through the Championship Health Partnership announced in February. The National L-Club, LSU’s national association for letter earners, will provide further support.

“The Tiger Legacy Care program provides the meaningful opportunities and treatment options that Hall of Fame Health envisioned as it sought to expand its reach beyond Pro Football Hall of Famers and their families,” said Ryan Cain, President of Hall of Fame Health. “The first of its kind, and with great partners at LSU and Our Lady and the Lake Health, TLC will positively impact thousands of college athletes for life by giving them access to elite mental and behavioral health treatment.”

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