Home / Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Success Messages / April 24, 2020: COVID-19 Update

Update on health and wellness resources

April 24, 2020


To: UC Santa Cruz students
From: Jaye Padgett, Vice Provost, Student Success
Subject: Mental Health & Crisis Support During COVID-19

Dear Students,

We realize the current circumstances surrounding COVID-19 may be creating stress in your lives. It could even feel overwhelming. So we are reaching out today to remind you of UC Santa Cruz’s mental health and crisis support resources that are available to you, not only when you’re here at UC Santa Cruz, but when you’re home. This email will provide information about resources and programs including:

  • CAPS Mental Health Services and Slug Support

  • SHOP and The COVE

  • CARE

  • CAPS Case Management Services

  • Student Advocate’s Office

  • LGBTQIA+ Support 

  • Being Well and Staying Well

  • Radical Resilience: Small Grants Program

CAPS Mental Health Services and Slug Support

Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) has many online services, including individual counseling, psychiatric services, online groups and workshops, mental health crisis services, the Let's Talk drop-in program, and free online resources for students. As a reminder, you have access to CAPS services through your student fees, not UC SHIP. However, UC SHIP and CruzCare also covers students no matter where they are. 

For CAPS, please contact (831) 459-2628 and speak with one of our staff to make an appointment. Students can get access to video appointments quickly and, in many cases, be seen for extended treatment. On evenings and weekends, CAPS has an after-hours service that will put you in contact with a live mental health professional. Call our main number at (831) 459-2628 and press 3. This can be particularly helpful to students in different time zones and students needing support in a crisis. Slug Support is available for immediate basic needs and other emergency situations via phone at (831) 459-4446, Zoom, and email at deanofstudents@ucsc.edu. 

CAPS also has an extensive list of online resources on our website, including meditations, relaxation exercises, and online therapy assistance. And if you are comfortable working remotely with a therapist who is not CAPS-affiliated, you can also find a therapist through LiveHealth Online.

SHOP and The COVE

Student Health Outreach and Promotion (SHOP) is open for online, phone, or email consultations on sexual health, party-safe strategies, and drug and alcohol recovery. SHOP also offers free personal wellness consultations. SHOP provides access to The Cove, which is a safe space for students that are committed to their recovery from alcohol or other drugs, are the loved one of someone with an addiction, are someone who wants to support those in recovery, or just want to meet other students who are clean and sober and looking for community. The Cove is hosting virtual recovery meetings, taking online appointments, and video chats. Contact Jorge Bru at (831) 459-1417 or jbru@ucsc.edu  for email, phone support or to be added to “The Cove Community” on Marco Polo. 

CARE

For crisis services for students who may be experiencing sexual assault, sexual harrassment, and dating/domestic violence, please contact the CARE office at (831) 502-2273 or care@ucsc.edu, Monday-Friday, 9 am - 5 p.m. CARE also has online support groups available. For local after-hours support, Monarch Services's confidential hotline is available 24/7: (888) 900-4232.  If you are currently out of the Santa Cruz area, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline: (800) 656-4673 or find your local crisis center here.

CAPS Case Management Services

Case managers support students in connecting to on- and off-campus resources for medical and mental health needs. Students can call (831) 459-2628 to schedule phone and Zoom appointments. As of May 4, CAPS Case Management will be offering remote drop-in hours every day. No appointment is needed. For more information go the CAPS Calendar on the CAPS Website at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS).  CAPS Case Managers can also assist out-of-state and international students to mental health resources in your local communities.

Student Advocate’s Office

The Student Advocate's Office is a non-partisan, confidential, office of advocates/caseworkers through the Student Union Assembly that assists students in need. They can assist students with financial aid concerns, basic needs, conduct, or academic issues. To make an appointment, contact suasao@ucsc.edu.

LGBTQIA+ Support

We understand that many of you may have returned to a home that’s not supportive of your gender identity and you’re missing the community that you created on campus. The Lionel Cantú Queer Resource Center is here for you and available to meet remotely via Zoom to provide guidance and support. To make an appointment, contact Cantú Queer Center Director, Travis S. Becker (he/they) at trbecker@ucsc.edu or Cantú's Trans Education Specialist, Ky Borunda (he/him) at kborunda@ucsc.edu. For crisis assistance, you can also contact the Trans Lifeline 24/7 at (877) 565-8860, the Trevor Project lifeline at (866) 488-7386 or text the word “Trevor” to (202) 304-1200 to get in touch with a counselor immediately. 

Being Well and Staying Well

Student Health Services has online resources and tips for maintaining wellness, including nutrition, sleep, and mental health. You can even take cooking classes online!  As a reminder, the Slug Support Pantry is offering a pre-bagged grocery pick-up system every Wednesday throughout the spring quarter. Bags will be pre-packed with pantry non-perishable staples with the option to add eggs, bread, and frozen items at pick-up. You must sign-up for an appointment in advance for a pick-up. (There are 8 slots per appointment time, and appointments refresh every Thursday). For more basic needs resources during COVID-19, including off-campus food pantries, can be found in this document.

Radical Resilience: Small Grants Program

Lastly, we recently launched a small grants program to support campus initiatives focused on building community and improving mental health and well-being of faculty, staff, and/or graduate and undergraduate students during this uncertain time. Sponsored by the Radical Resilience initiative, this new initiative is a collaborative effort overseen by a working group of staff, faculty, and students, in partnership with Healthy Campus and the Student Health Center. Proposals are due on June 1, 2020, and grants range from $500-$5,000. For more information, please check out the Radical Resilience website. 

As always, we are committed to supporting you, Slugs, during this difficult time. Please remember that no matter where you are, we are here for you. 

If you have feedback about this message, please write to us at vpss@ucsc.edu.