Health and Wellness

Health & Wellness services include counseling support to Mendocino College students who may be experiencing difficulties such as mental or emotional distress, trauma, substance use, relationship or family distress, or other difficulties which are impacting personal functioning and student performance. 

The Health & Wellness counselors are licensed or registered mental health professionals with education in marriage and family therapy, professional clinical counseling, or clinical social work.  They provide clinical assessments, short-term counseling (individual, couples/family, group) and crisis intervention. What this may look like is meeting with a counselor on campus or via telehealth (Zoom) where we listen and hold a safe space for you to share what has been bothering you.  Your counselor may ask you to complete assessments to better understand the help you need. Sometimes your counselor will assist you in learning new skills to help you navigate your life with less stress. Sometimes counseling may be about helping you get to a safe place if you feel your world is crumbling. We are concerned about your safety and your well-being.  

Health & Wellness services are confidential. As a student attending a postsecondary institution, the confidentiality law that informs how your private information is handled is directed by FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99). FERPA is a federal law that establishes the rights of students regarding certain education records and ensures students of the rights of privacy and confidentiality with respect to those records. Additionally, records that are made, maintained, or used only in connection with the provision of treatment are defined as ‘treatment records’ which are subject to more confidentiality restrictions. Subject to several exceptions, FERPA prohibits Mendocino-Lake Community College District from providing student ‘treatment records’ to a third party without prior authorization of the student.  

You may grant the College permission to release information about your treatment records to a third party (parent, spouse, employer, etc.) by submitting an Authorization for Use and Disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information form. Once you release your treatment records to a third party who is not considered part of your treatment team, those records being release are then considered ‘educational records.’ 

Release of Records to Parents: At the postsecondary level, a parent has no inherent right to inspect their child’s treatment records. The right to inspect is limited solely to the student.  

It is important to note that if you release treatment record information to someone outside of your treatment team, your treatment records become educational records and all the FERPA guidelines for disclosure of information apply. Please note that while this Release Form authorizes the College to release treatment records to third parties, it does not oblige it to do so. 

There are exceptions to confidentiality you should know about. If what is happening to you at the time poses a health or safety threat to yourself or others, we will collaborate with others to keep everyone safe. Counselors are “Mandated Reporters” which means we break confidentiality when we suspect there is abuse or neglect of children or dependent adults. We are also obligated to respond to subpoenas from valid legal entities.

https://988lifeline.org/ 

988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. 

https://findtreatment.gov/ 

FindTreatment.gov is the confidential and anonymous resource for persons seeking treatment for mental and substance use disorders in the United States and its territories. 

https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/index.asp 

VA’s top clinical priority is preventing suicide among all Veterans — including those who do not, and may never, seek care within the VA health care system. As a Veteran, you can play a role in fulfilling this mission, and VA can equip you with tools to do your part. You can explore suicide prevention resources to build networks of support among community-based organizations, Veterans Service Organizations, health care providers, and other members of your community that strengthen protective factors for Veterans. 

https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools/ 

https://www.mhanational.org/self-help-tools 

Mental Health America – Self-Help and Online screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. Mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, are real, common, and treatable. And recovery is possible. 

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/index.asp 

Veterans Administration: We are the world's leading research and educational center of excellence on PTSD and traumatic stress. PTSD is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening or traumatic event. If symptoms last more than a few months, it may be PTSD. The good news is that there are effective treatments. 

https://www.activeminds.org/ 

Active Minds is the nation’s premier nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults. We are dedicated to saving lives and to building stronger families and communities. Through education, research, advocacy, and a focus on young adults ages 14–25, Active Minds is opening the conversation about mental health and creating lasting change in the way mental health is talked about, cared for, and valued in the United States. 

https://takeaction4mh.com/wp-content/uploads/docs/TakeAction_BeTrueAndBeYou.pdf 

Great guide for LGBTQi+, ways to identify dysfunctional relationships, self-care, encouraging words. Sponsored by ‘take action for mental health’ formerly each mind matters. 

https://takeaction4mh.com/resources/ 

Resources from Take Action 4 Mental Health in both English and Spanish 

https://www.suicideispreventable.org/ 

Know the Signs - Know the Signs is part of the Take Action for Mental Health Campaign. To learn more, including how you can get involved, visit takeaction4mh.com 

This campaign is funded through counties by the voter approved Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) (Prop. 63) and administered by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), an organization of county governments working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. 

https://www.mentalhealthishealth.us/ 

“Mental Health is Health” is an MTV Entertainment Group initiative rooted in the reality that we all have mental health and need to take care of it like we do our physical health. The initiative aims to normalize conversation, create a connection to resources and inspire action on mental health. 

https://www.blackstudentscu.us/ 

Black Students of California United provide California’s African American youth (high school/middle school) with the tools, education, and experiences to prepare them to become fully engaged participants in the state’s civic and economic life. 

https://therapyinanutshell.com/ 

Therapy in a Nutshell – Emma McAdams provides easy to access information on addressing anxiety and other areas of mental health wellness. She offers free online courses as well.  

https://palousemindfulness.com/ 

Here you will find a complete MBSR course, designed for people who are not able to take a live MBSR course for financial or logistical reasons.  

https://www.tarabrach.com/ 

Tara Brach’s teachings blend Western psychology and Eastern spiritual practices, mindful attention to our inner life, and a full, compassionate engagement with our world. The result is a distinctive voice in Western Buddhism, one that offers a wise and caring approach to freeing ourselves and society from suffering. 

https://www.calm.com/ 

Calm is the #1 app for sleep and meditation. Join the millions experiencing better sleep, lower stress, and less anxiety. 

https://www.headspace.com/ 

Headspace was started with one mission: to improve the health and happiness of the world. 

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If you would like to refer a student for Health & Wellness services, please use the “student referral” form linked below. This is not for use in emergencies.  

If you would like to request an in-class presentation, please utilize the “in-class presentation” link (need to create MS Form for both).  

If you need other assistance, please email Health & Wellness at: wellness@mendocino.edu. 

If you are looking for assistance with academic counseling, transfer services, career support, and creating an educational plan, please select this link to get to the correct resource: -> ACADEMIC COUNSELING. 

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