University Programs & Best Practices

Counseling & Wellness Center: Provides individual and group counseling, free to all Chico State students. Process groups offered for substance abuse, relationship issues, and family issues. Support groups offered for sexual assault survivors, substance abuse, bipolar disorder, and food/body image concerns. Psychoeducational groups offered for anxiety, self-esteem, and positive psychology. Treatments utilized: Motivational Interviewing, CBT, Mindfulness, and Short-term Psychodynamic Therapy.

Health Education: The Campus Alcohol and Drug Education Center (CADEC) offers health education programming for the campus community. The Student Health Center also sponsors health education events.

Student Clubs: Active Minds Chapter

University Wide: Behavioral Assessment Team (BAT), Student Health 101, AlcoholEdu

WellCat Fit: connects students who meet the criteria for clinical depression with an exercise “buddy”

UMatter: Comprehensive initiative to promote lifelong resilience and build physical and mental health skills. Currently developing a peer-education program.

Student Health & Psychological Services: Provide individual, couples, and group therapy as well as crisis intervention, outreach, consultation, and referral.

Health Education: Provides one-on-one sexual health, nutrition, and wellness counseling to students. The health educator along with student peer educators provide health-related presentations, trainings, activities, materials, and referral services.

University Wide: Student Health 101, Behavioral Assessment Team (BAT)

Kick The Stigma: Events designed to address stigma surrounding mental health issues by educating the campus community and providing tools and resources.

Suicide Prevention Pop-Up Lawn Campaign: Awareness event designed to educate the campus community about the facts of suicide and preventive resoruces.

Student Health & Counseling Services: Provide individual, couples, and group counseling, as well as medical and psychiatric care. Programs include:

• Peer Advocates for Wellness (PAW): PAW interns (specially trained student peer health educators) provide resource information, peer support, and outreach about health and wellness issues.
• Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC): advocates for the health needs of students

Community Counseling Center: Provides indivudal, couples and family counseling (including play therapy) to non-student community members (ncluding the offspring of East Bay students).

Wellness Center at the Recreation and Wellness Building: Provides holistic health services including massage therapy, a relaxation room, and a wellness room with health education activities and information.

CalMHSA Faculty Trainings partners with Academic Affairs to train campus faculty to better identify, refer, and assist students in emotional distress.

The Wellness Recovery Action Plan®, or WRAP®: an evidence-based practice used worldwide. This structured psychoeducational plan is useful for those who want to attain the highest possible level of wellness. This is a self-management and recovery system developed by a group of people who had mental health difficulties and who were struggling to incorporate wellness tools and strategies into their lives. Certified WRAP Peer Educators run two to three groups per Academic Quarter. Referrals are made to SHCS as appropriate.

CalMHSA Peer Educator Program: Peer Educators offer psycho-educational services to the CSUEB campus and facilitate referrals, matching students with the wellness services available to them. 

The Better Life Project: The Better Life Project provides tools and information for CSUEB students to improve their lives in school, at work, and at home. The Alameda County Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS) CalMHSA funded program believes that overall wellness is based on mental and physical health. PEERS believes that accurate mental health information is too often full of jargon. PEERS knows that CSUEB students benefit when information about mental health is easy to understand and access. Major funding for The Better Life Project is provided by PEERS’ CalMHSA grant. The CCC’s Peer Educators assist with the site. (http://www.peersnet.org/).

Psychological Services: Individual, couples and group counseling.

Health Education: Stressbusters, BACCHUS Certified Peer Education Training.

University Wide: E-Checkup to Go; Student Health 101

Work it Out! encourages students with depression and/or anxiety to uphold a healthy lifestyle, utilizing physical activity as a means for improving and maintaining good mental health.

Project SAFE provides students with a safe place to ask for help by identifying staff and faculty committed to serving students in a time of need.

Student Health 101: The Mental Health Edition is a peer led presentation focused on stress, stress management, and mental health.

Breaking the Stigma events address highly stigmatized issues (i.e., suicide, mental illness, etc.) by educating the campus community, breaking down myths, and providing tools and resources.

CAPS: counseling for individuals and couples, group counseling, psychiatric services, referrals, crisis intervention including a 24-hour crisis line, and workshops to eligible CSUF students. CAPS also provides consultations with faculty and staff about concerns related to student mental health. CAPS counselors can help students improve coping skills, strengthen personal relationships, navigate the college transition, recover from traumatic experiences, and engage in self-exploration.

Health Education: Peer Health University Network (PHUN), using the BACCHUS Peer Education Model, partners with Active Minds in providing campus mental health programming.

University Wide: Step Up! Bystander Intervention Program (focused on sexual assault, discrimintation/stigma, and alcohol and other drugs), Student Health 101, Active Minds Chapter, LGBT SafeSpace trainings.

PHUN-Hut (Health Hut) provides health-related educational materials (including mental health resources) and is stationed in a new location on campus each day of the semester to reach as many students as possible.

Calm Before the Storm is a pre-finals stress relief event which utilizes therapy dogs, massages, and stress-busting packets for students.

The CalMHSA Faculty Liaison Program partners with Academic Affairs to train campus faculty to better identify, refer, and assist students in emotional distress.

Send Silence Packing brought 1,100 backpacks to campus to symbolize the 1,100 students lost to suicide each year in the US, and to raise awareness about college student suicide.

Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS):  Individual, couples, and group therapy as well as crisis intervention and after-hours care (ProtoCall), outreach, consultation, and referral. Therapy modalities include: ACT for Anxiety/Depression and Substance Use, BASICS, Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused Therapy, EBT, CBT, Mindfulness, Short-term Psychodynamic Therapy, Meditation. Students may also do a: Screening for Mental Health (online self-assessment tool) through the CAPS website.

Health Education: Stressbusters, Bacchus Peer Education Model (with 10 peer educators), Student Health Advisory Committee

Student Clubs: Active Minds Chapters (campus wide and residence hall specific)

University Wide: Crisis Prevention and Assessment Team, MAP-Works Early Alert System, Student Health 101, LGBT SafeSpace Trainings, 3rd Millenium Alcohol and Marijuana Intervention

Through CAPS:

Prezis (interactive web-based presentations) on a variety of mental health topics, such as Depression, Anxiety, Assertiveness, Self-harm, etc.

Suicide: Get Help Now: staff messages of hope for students experiencing thoughts of suicide

Mindsight Trainings for students, faculty and staff

Emotional Brain Training: Workshops and Groups for Students

Life Skills Workshop Series for all new freshman: Moodle-based course focused on Stress & Mood Management, Decision Making, Life Style Choices (AOD, Sexual Health, Bystander Intervention), & Financial Management

Strong group program: Wellness groups (meditation, creative self-expression, TEDtalk discussion, LGBT discussion), therapy, and support groups.

Gratitude Log

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): Individual brief therapy, group counseling, consultation and outreach, on-call crisis services, referral services, ProtoCall After Care Emergency Services, On-line screening program: “How are you doing? No… Really?” (Student Mental Screening for Mental Health and ULifeline. Altogether 8 screenings).

Student Health Center: ATOD program, Nutrition Peer-to-peer program

University Wide: VetNet Ally Training, AB540 Ally Training, SafeZone Ally training, Student Health 101, Autism Ally Training, Campus Assessment, Response and Evaluation for Students (CARES)

Student Recreation and Wellness Center – Beach Balance. Beach Balance is a partnership with The Division of Student Services, which includes Student Health Services, Disabled Student Services, and Counseling and Psychological Services. The partnership aims to promote personal well-being, from a holistic approach, by empowering members of the CSULB community to make healthy lifestyle choices. Website

Express Yourself Series – creating space and community for our students to express themselves, through creative outlets (writing, poetry slam, spoken word)

Project OCEAN Suicide Prevention Program – Training QPR instructors on campus (students, staff, faculty and admin were selected) so that they can provide QPR gatekeeper training to all levels of campus community.

Friends Helping Friends Workshop – 2 hour presentations on common mental illnesses that teach students how to identify warning signs and engage in early intervention by engaging with at risk student and providing support and appropriate referrals.

Counseling and Psychological Services: Triage, short, and long term individual, couples, and group therapies including Anxiety Management, First Generation, and Anger Management groups. Services include referrals, outreach, consultation, multidisciplinary team treatment, and case coordination with other campus entities. Treatments available include CBT, psychodynamic, mindfulness, ISTDP, EMDR, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, and Solution Focused.

University-Wide: Student CARE Team: A multidisciplinary team addressing complaints regarding students at risk of harm to self or the university community; focused on academic success and the physical and mental well-being of the student and members of the university community.

Health Promotion and Education Center (HPEC): Gives presentations, guest lectures, and workshops that address mental health including:

• Quick Facts on Health-- offered as a guest lecture in higher education courses; provides students with realistic tips for choosing, achieving & maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
• Assisting Students in Psychological Distress -- to enhance skills of student organization officers and resident assistants in recognizing & responding to students in distress
• Stress & Depression Management -- interactive presentation to increase student awareness of issues related to depression & stress management.

Counseling and Psychological Services:

Suicide Prevention: A certification training focused on reducing mental health-related stigma, introduces the biopsychosocial context, includes risk factors and statistics pertaining to suicide, and involves a dyadic suicide intervention experiential component

ASIST, MHFA, BACCHUS Network Certified Peer Educator Training

Personal Growth & Counseling Center: Dedicated to improving the quality of students’ lives and aiding them in achieving academic success. Provides crisis intervention, individual and group counseling, educational outreach, support programs, and referral services. Students are also able to access online screening tools through Screening for Mental Health.

Health Promotion & Education: Encourages and enhances practices of wellness among students. Health professionals and certified student peer educators provide health-related presentations, trainings, activities, materials, and referral services.

University Wide: AlcoholEdu and Student Health 101

POWER (Promoting Otter Wellness through Education and Resources) Peer Education Program: Students who have completed training and provide service as Peer Educators receive course credit through Human Development 222 (Peer Education for Young Adults) and Human Development 225 (Peer Education for Young Adults Practicum).

Psycho-Educational Groups: Yoga, Art, and Meditation (YAM); Out of the Blues (Depression and Anxiety Management); Mindfulness Meditation; Grief and Loss Support; LGBTQQI Support; First Generation College Student Support

University Counseling Services: On-line Depression, Anxiety, and Eating Disorder Screening, PSA on Depression, ProtoCall After Care Emergency Services

Student Health Center: eCHUG

University Wide: BACCHUS Network Certified Peer Educator Training, GLBTQ Ally training, Student Health 101

BLUES project –Depression peer education program—UCS --Beginning and Advanced

DATE project—Sexual Assault peer education program—UCS—Beginning and Advanced

ExCEL program-- Provides resources to make students aware of, & better prepared to address, some of the psychological-social challenges that may be interfering with their academic success

• Selfies-Video-Guidebook
• Link to Selfies of Your Professors Video
• ExCEL Guidebook for Students
• ExCEL Guidebook for Faculty and Staff

JADE project—Eating disorder peer education program—UCS—Beginning and Advanced

Living Well lounge—Student Health Center

Nutritional Peer Education Counseling---SHC

Participation in the following "Awareness Weeks"

• Beat the Blues
• Eating Disorder
• Sexual Assault
• Wellness week—SHC and UCS

Plans for an integrative and collaborative Wellness Center are in the works.

CAPS: Individual, couples, and group therapy; classes; outreach services; workshops; relaxation training

Health Education: BACCHUS Peer Education Model, BASICS, eCHECKUP-to-go

University Wide: Student Health 101, Active Minds Chapter

CAPS: Individual, couples, & group therapy; case management.

Health Education: Active Minds Chapter (functions as a club and as a Peer Health Education Internship); Alcohol and Violence Peer Health Education Internship; BACCHUS Peer Education Model, including Certified Peer Educator training. Student Clubs: Active Minds

University-wide: Student Health 101

CAPS: Collaboration with Academic Advising and Disabilities Office to present free mental health worshops as part of "Surviving College" workshop series

Health Education: "Working Out Your Stress" (peer-led stress management workshops); Classroom presentations: "Finding Your Stress Style" and "College Mental Health" which utilizes classroom clickers for student interaction.

Psychological Counseling Center: professional individual and group counseling, as well as:

THRIVE! Wellness Workshops

• 12 Tips for Healthy Dating
• How to be a Better Friend
• Overcome ADHD
• Journaling for Self-Awareness
• Stop Putting Your Life on Hold
• Building Better Relationships by Understanding Personality
• Healthy Lifestyle Interventions
• Stress Management
• Healthy Grieving
• Building the Career, Relationships & Future You Desire by Knowing & Understanding Your Personal Strengths
• Understanding Addiction & Co-Dependency
• Intimacy & Relationships
• When Relationships End: How to Cope

The THRIVE Program aims to integrate interventions that promote a campus culture that embraces self-care and mental health.

• Daily Meditations “Drive-thru” meditations throughout campus
• Speed Friending
• Book Clubs
• Active Minds
• Wellness Workshops
• PAWS (Pet Away Worries And Stress)—therapy dogs utilized to reduce stress and anxiety among students
• Mental Health EXPOs

P.E.E.R. (Preventing, Educating, Empowering, Results)

• Nationally Certified Peer Health Educators
• Trained in providing outreach programs to college students on a variety of college health issues
• Trained in SafeTALK suicide prevention and awareness
• Campaigns include:
• CalMHSA THRIVE
• PAWS (Pet Away Worries & Stress) utilizing therapy dogs for stress and anxiety reduction
• GAS (Great American Smokeout)
• NCAAW (National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week

C&PS: individual, couples, and group counseling, assessment & referrals, crisis intervention, outreach and workshops to eligible SDSU students. C&PS also provides consultations with faculty and staff about concerns related to student mental health.

Student Groups: Active Minds,Student Advisary Committeee, Peer Education Program

University Wide: Collaborative Incident Management Team, Echeck-up to go, Student Health 101, SafeZones Ally Trainings

ASPIRE Individual Counseling Program (Alcohol and other Substances Prevention, Intervention, and Re-directive Effort)

Biofeedback Clinic: 4 session model aimed at helping students to manage stress and anxiety.

Bounce Back Retention Program: 1 unit course for students on academic probation, designed to expand academic and life skills.

Center for Well Being with 7 stations to support relaxation and stress reduction (Massage Chair, Biofeedback Station, Library of books, brochures, audio and video tapes,etc.)

COPE workshops for stress reduction (Cultivating Optimal Personal Experiences)

FratMANers (Fraternity Men Against Negative Environments and Rape Situations)

CAPS: Individual, couples, and group counseling; CEASE: substance abuse prevention education; The SAFE Place: Sexual violence prevention and crisis intervention; and Let's Talk: drop-in counseling for student residents in University Housing.

Health Education: The Health Promotion Clinic addresses smoking cessation, sexual health, choosing a health care plan, and stress management. Workshops include: Meditation, Sexploration, Undiet Your Way to Health, Holistic Health and Self-Care, and Healthy Relationships.

Student Clubs: Active Minds, Disabled Students Association, Peer Educators Advocating Campus Health (PEACH), Student Health Advisory Committee

University-wide: The SF State Care Team is a multidisciplinary committee charged with preventing, assessing, and intervening with campus members displaying behaviors of concern.

Click on title below to see more detail.

SF State Cares: Promoting a Healthy State of Mind:  Campus-wide, multimedia campaign

Student Success Program: Targets students preparing for careers in health, social, and community services.

We All Matter: Creating a Community of Caring: A regional suicide prevention conference October 18, 2013.

Relationship Studies in the College and University: A new course focused on mental health and at risk students.

Mental Health Advocate Training: a new course based on the "Transitions and Resilience Series"

Advanced Peer Education Internship: for students involved in Active Minds

SF Cares: Mental Health and Wellness Training

Syllabus Campaign

Counseling Services: Individual, couples, educational and group counseling; crisis intervention; community outreach (community building) activities; psychiatric services.

Mental Health Ambassador Program: student-centered peer program that focuses on creating a caring, informed, and connected campus culture by increasing mental health literacy, promoting and informing students about SJSU Counseling Services, and bridging the Counseling Services and campus community. The MHA program received the Thomas Magoon Award in 2009.

Peer Health Education: click link for information.

Mental Health Ambassador Program

• Description
• Handbook

A Thousand Stars Suicide Prevention Advocate Training: From 2010-present. This multiculturally-responsive and informed training on suicide awareness & advocacy provides education & skills to SJSU student volunteers ( “Stars”) in order to help provide fellow students & community members in distress with vital resources.

GENERATE: a program designed to support the success of first-generation students at SJSU. Click for Article in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Peer Connections

Peers in Pride

Spartan Success Workshops (2008-present)

Difficult Dialogues (2011-present)

Multicultural Training Day (2008 – present): Annual Conference (for Northern Calif. college counseling centers) that helps mental health providers gain the skills, awareness, & knowledge to provide culturally responsive & social justice oriented mental health services to college students & college community.

Creating A Thousand Lights (2012- present): A candlelight event designed to increase awareness, show support & care, & make connections for all people who have been impacted, directly or indirectly, by suicide, trauma, & mental health issues. Twenty CSU campuses joined force in this event in 2013.

Strength Ink: Mark your Strengths (2013 – present): A Henna Art event to introduce “Strength and wellness oriented” framework of personal, academic, psychological, & mental wellness.

Counseling Services: Provide individual, couples, and group counseling, free to all students. BASICS is available to all students. Psychiatrist on staff for medication concerns. Online mental health screenings.

Health Education: PULSE (Peers Understanding Listening Speaking Educating) offers health education programming for the campus community.

Student Clubs: Active Minds Chapter, Student Health Advisory Committee, Friday Night Live at Cal Poly

University Wide: Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT), Student Affairs Care Team (Office of the Dean of Students), Student Health 101, AlcoholWise, Aware, Awake, Alive, Customized faculty and staff trainings, Housing Liaison

Counseling Services: Provide individual and couples counseling, psychological testing, & psychiatric services. Groups for mindfulness/stress reduction, healthy relationships, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for anxiety. Offer alcohol/drug educational workshops in coordination with the Dean’s Office and Residence Life. We are a campus Safe Zone.

Health Education: two full time health educators, one of which specializes in mental health education. They maintain a group of interns called PEAS (Peer Education And Support).

Student Organizations: Active Minds chapter-- they have participated in a campus wide “Stamp Out Stigma” event.

University-Wide: Student Health 101 is advertised on social media and is included in the first-year student course. We also provide Kognito training in the first-year student course. Campus has a Student Response Team (part of the overall campus violence prevention program).

Counseling Services does an annual peer helper training conference, focusing on teaching campus leaders (including RA staff, peer academic advisors, peer EOP counselors, etc) both helping skills and self-care/resiliency skills.

Health Education Interns (PEAS) offer programs throughout the campus including events, workshops, and guest presentations to classes (especially our first-year student “introduction to college” courses).

Psychological Counseling Services: Provides psychological counseling to students; and workshops, outreach and consultation to the campus community.

Health Center includes health education and wellness promotion.

Univerity-wide: Active Minds Chapter, "Friends Are Good Medicine" (training program that teaches the concept of community capacity building and the healing power of supportive social circles)

PEER Project: prevention and education related activites to eliminate the stigma of mental health issues and reduce risk of sutdent suicide.

Warriors 4 Warriors: assists student-veterans in navigating the academic environment through friendship, camaraderie and shared experiences to increase their success and engagement on campus.

LIFE Path: a local community resource that is located in the PEER project office. Offers treatment and support (through a mobile team) to individuals 14-25 years of age experiencing early symptoms of psychosis. Avaialbe for student and faculty consult.

Wellness Classroom Presentations and Wellness Workshops