Enhancing Student Well-Being: Kimberly Williams Appointed Director of CAPS

At the heart of her work, Kym Williams is a strong believer that mental health care isn't just about treatment. It's about fostering resilience, growth and empowerment for the people she helps. And, as the newly appointed director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), she's bringing her vision — to create a campus culture where students, faculty and staff can thrive — to life.

Motivated by the opportunity to support students as they navigate challenges and grow, Williams also is focused on ensuring that CAPS staff feel valued and supported. 
 
"My passion for advocacy, equity and well-being drives my work, and I am committed to creating spaces where individuals feel heard, valued and empowered to navigate life's transitions," Williams said. "Creating this culture gives deep meaning to what I do and reinforces why this work matters."

Starting her CAPS career in 2016 as a mental health clinician, Williams draws on nearly a decade of clinical, administrative and leadership experience. She's held multiple leadership positions, including assistant director, associate director, clinical director and training coordinator. During that time, Williams helped guide the department through periods of growth, operational change and evolving student mental health needs, while continuing to provide direct clinical care and supervision to staff.

"Kym brings deep institutional knowledge, steady leadership and a genuine commitment to student well-being," said Becky Todd, associate vice chancellor for student well-being in the Division of Student Affairs at the U of A. "She will widen the lens on mental health, embedding mental health services in new areas of campus, collaborating with campus partners and helping create a culture of well-being for the university."

Before joining CAPS, Williams worked as a mental health professional at Ozark Guidance Center in Fayetteville, where she provided individual and family therapy to adolescents in both clinical and school-based settings. Her work included crisis intervention, safety planning and coordination with educators, clinicians and families — an experience that continues to inform her approach to supporting students within a complex campus environment.

A Fayetteville native and alumna of the U of A, Williams shared, "I was inspired to pursue a career in mental health and social work because I have always been drawn to supporting others through challenging times and helping them realize their strengths."

In addition to leading clinical services, Williams played a key role in staff development, training programs, policy review and accreditation-related work at CAPS. Her leadership experience includes managing clinical operations, supervising clinicians and supporting departmental initiatives.

"Kym's collaborative leadership style and long-standing dedication make her well suited for this role as she continues to support CAPS and the evolution of mental health services on campus," said Monica Holland, associate vice chancellor and dean of students in the Division of Student Affairs. 

"Supporting students as they navigate identity development, mental health challenges and life transitions is deeply meaningful," she said. "Creating a space where students feel safe, validated and truly heard, sometimes for the first time, is one of the most powerful aspects of our work at CAPS. College students are also a fun population to work with. They bring so much energy and perspective, and the buzz and excitement each new class brings in August reignites my passion for the work I do."

Williams earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in social work from the U of A and is licensed as a clinical social worker. She also has an Advanced Alcohol and Drug Certification and collaborates closely with campus partners supporting students in recovery, including work with Razorback Recovery through the Substance Education, Assessment & Recovery (SEAR) department.

For more information about CAPS, visit health.uark.edu and follow @uarkcaps on Instagram and @uarkhealth on Instagram and Facebook. 

About Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): CAPS is committed to supporting University of Arkansas students by offering a wide range of mental health services. We offer critical mental health services such as short-term individual counseling, group counseling, 24/7 emergency mental health services, and case management. CAPS promotes student autonomy and empowerment in planning care through the Care Matching Model. Many CAPS services are covered by the Student Health and Wellness Fee to ensure access to critical mental health services. CAPS is a department within the Division of Student Affairs. To learn more, visit health.uark.edu/mental-health. 

About the Division of Student Affairs: The Division of Student Affairs supports the whole student by cultivating transformative experiences and environments that promote student well-being, sense of community, and success. We prioritize student access, well-being, and belonging, post-graduation success, and building a strong organizational culture.