Content warning: This article contains references to suicide. If you or someone you know are in need of help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

In March 2022, Katie Meyer, senior and co-captain of the women’s soccer team, died by suicide in her undergraduate residence. Hers was the fourth student death by suicide in just over a year.

The loss of Meyer shook the campus community and drew national attention. In the years since, her death has prompted a reevaluation of how colleges — and Stanford in particular — support students undergoing mental health struggles.

University administrators, state lawmakers and Meyer’s family have taken steps since then to address gaps in campus mental health services.

University mental health resources, then and now

An April 2022 ASSU survey found that nearly 60% of students were unable to see a Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) therapist within the time frame they needed, and over a third of students found CAPS either extremely or somewhat inaccessible. In October 2022, The Daily reported that CAPS was struggling to recruit new staff members and had experienced staff departures.

In the past three years, Stanford has introduced new programs and policies to make mental health services more accessible and effective.

“Supporting students’ mental health and well-being has been among Stanford’s most urgent priorities in recent years and it remains one of our top focus areas today,” longtime CAPS director Bina Patel wrote to The Daily.

Patel added that in the past two years, wait times for initial appointments at CAPS have averaged less than two days.

Stanford has also introduced the TimelyCare program, a virtual platform that offers 24/7 virtual medical and mental health care and up to 12 scheduled therapy sessions per year, for enrolled students. Students with more serious mental health needs can now work with Stanford’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (DoPBS) when more specialized treatments are necessary, Patel wrote.  

“The DoPBS has a depression research clinic and an interventional psychiatry clinic, which are at the forefront of developing new and innovative treatments for depression,” Patel wrote. Students can also self-refer to Stanford Health Care psychiatry clinics and access to their services will be expedited for actively enrolled students. These services are not free.

CAPS increased its community outreach efforts by hosting workshops and group activities in  residences, departments and community centers. Now, CAPS hosts weekly support groups for several communities ranging from dissertation writers to queer students to students experiencing grief. 

In an email to The Daily, University spokesperson Luisa Rapport wrote that an annual survey conducted by Vaden for the past four years found that over 90% of students reported that their CAPS supervisor was “helpful in addressing their concerns,” and over 90% reported that they would recommend CAPS to a peer who was having mental health concerns. 

“Providing an environment in which students can flourish has continued to guide the work that CAPS and other mental health professionals are providing every day across campus,” Rapport wrote. “Importantly, Stanford has increasingly expanded the diversity of skill sets of our providers to meet the demand of our student needs.”

Stanford also continues to promote mental health awareness through campus events, according to Rapport. This May, the University newsletter The Flourish hosted its second annual Flourish Together event, which brought together over 20 wellness teams from across campus for a resource fair and student photo exhibit.

Reform beyond Stanford

Beyond Stanford, Meyer’s death spurred coordinated action at the state level, and a national movement for change.

In the aftermath of their daughter’s death, Steven and Gina Meyer founded Katie’s Save, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to “promote mental health, protect students, and prevent suicide,” according to the website. The organization, a registered 501(c)(3) charity, was recently named a California Nonprofit of the Year by the California Association of Nonprofits.

“We have been invited to speak to many populations of high school and college students, politicians both here in California and on a national level, including with the Attorney General, and at many mental health conferences throughout the country,” the Meyers wrote in a statement to The Daily.

Katie’s Save played a pivotal role in the passage of Assembly Bill 1575, known as Katie Meyer’s Law, which California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in September 2024. The legislation grants all students in California’s public colleges and universities an advisor to help them navigate the disciplinary process.

Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, who sponsored the bill, described it as a way to ensure that “college students who often find themselves living alone for the first time in their lives” were not forced to navigate high-stakes decisions alone.

“Having someone in your corner,” she wrote, is “something every student in California deserves to have.”

While Katie’s Law does not apply to private universities like Stanford, Irwin wrote that many had expressed their intent to voluntarily comply in order to attract and retain their students. But according to Steven and Gina Meyers, Stanford is not among them.

“Stanford has ignored our advocacy efforts and the passage of the Katie Meyer Law, which is heartbreaking given how much Katie loved and gave to the school,” they wrote. “Stanford has never acknowledged, honored or invited Katie’s Save Foundation to any mental health events or games, whereas many other universities across the country have had such games and events and invited us to speak.”

Attorney Kim Dougherty, who represents the Meyer family in its ongoing litigation against Stanford, stated, “We have inquired and hoped that Stanford would implement similar safety nets for their students… As of May 2025, it has chosen not to implement Katie’s Meyer’s Law or any elements similar to it that helps protect students.”

The University has maintained that it “strongly disagree[s] with any assertion that the University is responsible for [Meyer’s] death.” They did not immediately respond to a request for comment on their views of Katie’s Save advocacy. 

Still, Meyer’s parents expressed gratitude for those who have stepped forward in Katie’s memory.

“Ultimately, we are deeply impacted and very proud of everybody in ALL communities who have loved and supported us along this emotionally complicated journey,” they wrote. “They could have looked the other way, but instead, chose to step up and become part of a greater mission to prevent another student from being treated the way Katie was. 

Three years on, mental health remains a defining issue at Stanford. While new programs and statewide reforms constitute important steps forward, the work of building a campus environment that fully supports student well-being remains an ongoing effort.