No Food for Thought: Insights on Basic Needs Insecurities and Mental Health Challenges from Trellis’ Fall 2020 Student Financial Wellness Survey

This brief examines data from 20,095 students with one or more forms of basic needs insecurity (BNI) (i.e., food insecurity, housing insecurity, homelessness) from Trellis’ Fall 2020 Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS) with a special lens on their mental health. With more than one-third of all postsecondary students experiencing mental health challenges before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many more living with food and housing insecurity, having a full understanding of students’ lived experiences during the past year is critical.