We would like to welcome you to fall quarter and a new academic year here at UC Santa Cruz. We are excited about the upcoming year and are looking forward to working with you in support of our students.
We are happy to announce the completion of a mental health handbook for faculty and staff. This handbook represents a compilation of the best practices and thinking on recognizing and responding to student mental health issues based on input from UC CAPS directors and mental health practitioners throughout our system. We hope you utilize this resource to help ensure the success of our students. The guide can be accessed here. A hard copy of the guide is available by request to deanofstudents@ucsc.edu.
We would also like to take this opportunity to review the resources and services available through the Slug Support Program and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). As the new academic year gets underway, we want you to know about our services and resources as well as review our red folder response protocol (who to contact when faced with a distressed or distressing student). Please note that we are always available for consultation and to answer any questions or concerns that you may have.
Our Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office provides a variety of counseling services to undergraduate and graduate students including individual counseling, groups and workshops, couple counseling, crisis services, on-campus psychiatry, the Let's Talk program, ADHD assessment, referrals to off-campus therapy, on-line self-help tools such as WellTrack, as well as a wide range of links to self-help resources on topics ranging from academic success, to depression, to general life issues. For more in-depth information on the services offered by Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), please visit our website and click on the counseling, psychiatry, groups, training, or resources tabs at the top of the page for more detailed information on what is offered.
Our Slug Support Program in the Dean of Students Office provides a variety of support services and resources to students in distress ranging from food access programs through our food pantry, assistance with Cal Fresh (formerly known as food stamps) application, dining hall meal vouchers, and a food pantry google calendar, to advocacy services on-campus, connection to community resources, and financial assistance such as textbook purchase assistance, temporary emergency housing, and medical as well as mental health co-payment assistance. For more information on the Slug Support Program, please visit our website.
Our campus red folder, as part of our See Something, Say Something, Do Something campaign, provides a response protocol for determining who to contact when faced with a distressed or distressing student. For detailed information on who to contact and when, please see the red folder. A hard copy of the red folder is available by request to deanofstudents@ucsc.edu.
If you are interested in making a contribution to the Student Emergency Fund, which supports students in need with emergency housing and food security, please visit: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1069/index.aspx?sid=1069&gid=1&pgid=761&dids=189&
We hope you have wonderful fall quarter and meaningful and productive academic year. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you need any support or have any questions or concerns.
