GENESEO, N.Y. — The ongoing pandemic sparked a rise in mental health issues for people across the country.

But advocates say for college students, COVID-19 created a mental health crisis.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention brought the Out of the Darkness Walk to the SUNY Geneseo campus. It aims to provide resources for students struggling with mental health and open up conversations.

Cheryl Long has spent 12 years volunteering with the foundation, pushing for easier access to resources.

“Something I’m passionate about is advocacy,” said Long. “I go to Albany and Washington with all of our asks from the foundation.”

According to a study by the New York Mental Health Association, levels of anxiety and depression increased by 48% in first-year college students. Because so many more students are experiencing these feelings, getting access to mental health services is more challenging than ever.

Bringing these walks and resource fairs are just the start of raising awareness about the mental health crisis.