Along with the growing number of students with disabilities in higher education comes an opportunity to explore the difficulties they experience, especially in the post-pandemic era, as well as how to better support them, thus making post-secondary education more inclusive. A considerable amount of research has been done in providing accommodation for students with physical disabilities, but other hindrances to accessibility such as mental health conditions are prone to be overlooked, perhaps in part due to the stigmatization and subjective invisibility of this topic, specifically in rigorous, competitive fields such as Computer Science (CS).

Despite the important and long overdue increase in the number of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in Computer Science, these efforts tend to be focused on diversity in terms of race, gender, socioeconomic status, etc. and run the risk of overlooking the needs of students living with disabilities, who may also feel underrepresented and marginalized in our field. More specifically, few of these endeavors are targeted toward students living with diagnosed mental illness despite the current mental health crisis, which is already having an effect on the field of computing. This session seeks to explore ways in which current DEI efforts in Computer Science can be expanded to be more inclusive of students living with diagnosed mental illness. Rather than serving as a critique of the shortcomings of existing DEI practices, we seek to create a space for a constructive and open conversation. We will discuss how current outreach efforts, recruitment and retention strategies, mentorship opportunities, community building, career advancement, etc. can be broadened and modified to meet the unique needs of students living with mental illness, while at the same time seeking to erase any stigma and misconceptions that may cause others to marginalize and exclude these students. In this timely and important session, participants will have an opportunity to discuss issues that affect CS students living with mental illness, share resources that are available for both students and educators, and describe efforts to create and foster a culture of understanding and support for neurodiverse communities within computing.

Long hours, lacking a sense of belonging, and fear of failure are just some of the stressors that affect Computer Science students and professionals alike, leading to burnout, anxiety, and depression. Although this issue is not unique to the field of computing, there is significant need for awareness and support around student mental health in the CS education community. However, while many CS educators recognize the importance of supporting their students' mental health, many feel ill-equipped to do so, are unsure if their approaches are helpful, and seek a community of educators with whom they can share ideas. Of particular concern is the mental health of students in underrepresented and marginalized groups within CS, particularly women, first-generation/low-income students, and members of the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, as they struggle to cope with the unprecedented events of 2020, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the worldwide protests against systemic racial injustice, and the US Presidential election, all while participating in challenging academic courses. In this timely and important session, participants will have an opportunity to discuss the mental health issues that affect CS students, share resources that are available to students and educators, and describe their efforts to create and foster a culture of understanding and support for student mental health within their communities.

Long hours, pressure to meet deadlines, lacking a sense of belonging, and fear of failure are just some of the stressors that affect Computer Science students and professionals alike, leading to burnout, anxiety, and depression. Although this issue is by no means unique to the field of computing, there is significant need for awareness and support around student mental health in the CS education community. In this timely and important session, panelists will discuss the mental health issues that affect CS students, present resources that are available to students and educators, and describe their efforts to create and foster a culture of understanding and support within their communities.

Long hours, pressure to meet deadlines, and fear of failure are just some of the stressors that affect CS students and professionals alike, leading to burnout, anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. A quarter of the world's population lives with some form of mental illness, and a 2015 UC-Berkeley study reported that nearly 50% of STEM graduate students live with depression. Furthermore, recent research suggests that 50% of those working in the tech community have been diagnosed with a mental illness, a statistic that may actually underestimate the problem because of stigmas in certain cultures and communities around seeking mental health services. These numbers all suggest a significant need for awareness and support in the tech industry. This BOF will provide attendees an opportunity to discuss the mental illnesses that affect CS students, including how to recognize symptoms, what resources are available, and how to create a culture of understanding and support within their communities. More importantly, we hope to create a space in which those living with mental illness can share their stories so that other participants can get a first-hand appreciation of the challenges they face.