Important Mental Health Information

Dear parents and family members of CSUMB students,

The increase of emotional problems and mental disorders occurring among college students on campuses has been well documented. More frequently, students arrive on campus needing some type of psychological assistance. With this in mind, we want to provide you with some ways of helping your student get ready to start their college experience should they need mental health services.

Our Personal Growth & Counseling Center and Campus Health Center provide services to approximately 4,000 students. Both centers are committed to supporting the mental health of our student body. The PGCC provides brief, short-term, solution focused therapy and the CHC provides urgent and primary care. Both centers provide referrals when long term and/or specialty care is necessary. Thus, we believe it is important to advise you of the scope of our services before your student or family member arrives on campus. If your student has a history of mental health issues, the best strategy for his or her success at CSUMB is to develop a plan for their psychological care prior to arrival on campus. Our recommendations are:

• Check with your current health care provider for their approved list of health care professionals in the Monterey Bay area who are accepting new clients/patients. Schedule an appointment for an initial visit within the first couple of weeks of arriving on campus. Some parents set up an appointment during the "move in period" and attend the meeting to administer the insurance and payment details.
• Please encourage your student to complete his/her emergency information card with clear information regarding diagnosis, medications, allergies, health care providers' contact information, and insurance policy information. It is also critical to make sure the emergency contact information is current.
• There is a transition period for finding a new physician and pharmacy which accepts your insurance plan. If your student is taking medications, work in cooperation with his/her physician to make sure they have an adequate supply of medication to make it through the "transition period".
• Work with your student to help them formulate a strategy or routine for taking their medications regularly and in their proper dosage. This is often a problem for students as they adjust to their new schedule and learn to navigate the numerous distractions of on-campus life. Some students have setbacks in managing their illnesses by forgetting their medications or electing not to take them.

These suggestions are provided as a guideline that we hope is useful to you. If you require additional information about the types of mental health services available to your child or family member, please feel free to review the following websites:

• Personal Growth & Counseling Center: csumb.edu/pgcc
• Campus Health Center: csumb.edu/health

We hope your student has a successful academic year.

Sincerely,

Caroline Haskell, LCSW, BCD Director of Health and Wellness Services Founding Director of the Personal Growth and Counseling Center

Lynne White Dixon, LCSW Clinical Supervisor, Personal Growth & Counseling Center