Active Minds + California

enhancing mental health prevention and early intervention efforts

In 2015, Active Minds partnered with the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) to promote and enhance mental health prevention and early intervention efforts among college-aged adults throughout the state. CalMHSA is a statewide coalition of California county governments, working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. CalMHSA represents a unique statewide focus on mental health Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) – the only of its kind in the United States. The prevention and early intervention initiatives that are funded by CalMHSA and California counties are collected under the umbrella of Each Mind Matters: California’s Mental Health Movement.

Below is a description of the unique projects and opportunities that Active Minds has facilitated throughout campuses and communities for the past three years.

Innovative Programming

Active Minds for Every Mind

The Active Minds for Every Mind Equity Initiative was created and piloted in 2016 with the generous support of the California counties, through CalMHSA. The objective of the initiative is to respond to research that demonstrates disparities among students who identify with racial and ethnic subpopulations and to enhance inclusivity with mental health messaging. Since its inception we have seen incredible results with more than a thousand students reached with culturally responsive messaging, more than 50% of whom had never attended a mental health event prior to this one.

A version of the Active Minds for Every Minds Equity Initiative workbook is now available for download for students throughout the Active Minds national network who want to implement the initiative outside of the cohort model. We anticipate that the staff-led cohort model will be embraced by other regional contracts in the coming years.

Participating campuses include:

Year 1 (2016-2017 Academic Year)

  • California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Los Angeles County)
  • California State University, Long Beach (Los Angeles County)
  • Moreno Valley College (Riverside County)
  • Occidental College (Los Angeles County)
  • University of California, Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara County)
  • West Valley College (Santa Clara County)

Year 2 (2017-2018 Academic Year)

  • California State University, Fullerton (Orange County)
  • California State University, Monterey Bay (Monterey County)
  • California State University, San Marcos (San Diego County)
  • Cerritos College (Los Angeles County)
  • Clovis Community College (Fresno County)
  • Columbia College (Tuolumne County)
  • Samuel Merritt University (Alameda County)
  • San Diego State University (San Diego County)
  • San Francisco State University (San Francisco County)
  • San Jose State University (Santa Clara County)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles County)
  • University of California, San Diego (San Diego County)

Year 3 (2018-2019 Academic Year)

  • California State University, Fresno (Fresno County)
  • California State University, Monterey Bay (Monterey County)
  • California, State University, San Marcos (San Diego County)
  • College of San Mateo (San Mateo County)
  • Moreno Valley College (Riverside County)
  • Occidental College (Los Angeles County)
  • Sacramento State University (Sacramento County)
  • San Diego City College (San Diego County)
  • San Diego State University (San Diego County)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles County)
  • University of California, San Diego (San Diego County)

 

Send Silence Packing

Since partnering with CalMHSA, Active Minds’ nationally renowned Send Silence Packing suicide awareness-building display, has visited more than 30 campuses and communities throughout California. The statewide partnership has supported collaborative efforts between county-based mental health efforts as well as community organizations with their local campuses to bring the moving display to their area, reaching tens of thousands of people with the important message that “You are not alone,” and “The world needs you here.”

Fall 2015 Tour

  • Sacramento State University (Sacramento County)
  • Fresno City College (Fresno County)
  • University of California, Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara County)
  • Mount San Jacinto College (Riverside County)
  • University of California, Riverside (Riverside County)
  • University of California, Irvine (Orange County)

Fall 2016 Tour

  • Cerritos College (Los Angeles County)
  • California State University, Long Beach (Los Angeles County)
  • Sierra College (Nevada County)
  • College of the Canyons (Los Angeles County)
  • California State University, Fullerton (Orange County)
  • Chabot College (Alameda County)
  • University of Redlands (San Bernardino County)
  • Pepperdine University (Los Angeles County)
  • Palomar College (San Diego County)
  • Santa Barbara City College (Santa Barbara County)
  • University of California, Riverside (Riverside County)

Spring 2017 Tour

  • Mount San Jacinto College (Riverside County)
  • Occidental College (Los Angeles County)
  • East Los Angeles College (Los Angeles County)
  • Los Angeles Southwest College (Los Angeles County)
  • San Jose State University (Santa Clara County)
  • City College of San Francisco (San Francisco County)
  • West Valley College (Santa Clara County)

Spring 2018 Tour

  • Fresno City College (Fresno County)
  • Clovis Community College (Fresno County)
  • College of the Desert (Riverside County)
  • Riverside City College (Riverside County)
  • Mount San Jacinto College (Riverside County)
  • California State University, San Marcos (San Diego County)
  • Madera Center (Fresno County)
  • Reedley College (Fresno County)
  • Santa Monica College (Los Angeles County)
  • San Diego City College (San Diego County)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles County)
  • Palomar College (San Diego County)
  • California State Capitol – Mental Health Matters Day (Sacramento County)

Speakers Bureau Engagements

Scholarships to host a member of the Active Minds Speakers Bureau have been offered to select campuses. The speakers bureau represents over a dozen speakers who courageously share their personal stories and experiences with mental health on a variety of important topics. Since partnering with CalMHSA, the state of California has hosted more than 20 professional speaking events.

Chapter Launch Grants

In partnership with CalMHSA, Active Minds offers mini-grants to a handful of qualifying campuses across the state to launch new Active Minds chapters. This unique opportunity supports the development of strong and sustainable Active Minds chapters with an added boost of curated resources, tailored support, and funding. Chapter launch grants establish new Active Minds chapters and expand our life-saving work to new campuses.

Partners

Active Minds works closely with many incredible organizations throughout the state, including: