Mental Health Services for Our Campus

March 1, 2021

 

Dear Fresno State Campus Community,

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our mental health in so many ways. We are social beings, and thrive on forging our sense of community through events and informal conversations.

In order to communicate more effectively about the importance and accessibility of mental health services for our campus community, I have created the Alegría Mental Health Task Force. I’m grateful that Marsha Baum, Belinda Muñoz and Malia Sherman are the co-chairs. As they represent faculty, staff and students, respectively, the co-chairs will ensure that programming includes everyone. The Task Force will examine current mental health services available to our students from our Student Health and Counseling Center, as well as other, external resources, in order to develop recommendations on how we can improve the mental health and well-being of our Fresno State family.

The Alegría Task Force also will inventory current practices and prepare a directory of virtual activities and events that are designed to promote a strong sense of community. Furthermore, they will expand and supplement current offerings by creating a series of wellness activities and events for the Fresno State community.
 
Task force members are:

• Debbie Adishian-Astone, vice president for Administration and Chief Financial Officer
• Briana Aguilar, student
• Adán Ávalos, Media, Communications and Journalism and Department of Art and Design
• Janet Booth, Office of the President
• Dr. Carolyn Coon, interim vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management/dean of students
• Katie Dyer, Department of Child and Family Science
• Dr. Xuanning Fu, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs
• Meredith Jenkins, Director of Athletics Office
• Diana Karageozian, Student Health and Counseling Center
• Lorin Lachs, Department of Psychology
• Julia Larralde, student
• Janell Morillo, Student Health and Counseling Center
• Georgiana Negron-Long, Student Health and Counseling Center
• Estevan Parra, Cross Cultural and Gender Center
• Rebecca Raya-Fernandez, Student Health and Counseling Center
• Elizabeth Rocha Zuñiga, president, Associated Students, Inc.
• Denise Seabert, dean, College of Health and Human Services
• Gitima Sharma, Counselor Education and Rehabilitation Department
• Joshua James Smith, Human Resources
• Alex Vue, student
• Mandy Weberg, student

So, why Alegría? The word in Spanish translates into English as “joy;” however, it goes further than that. In music, from the Italian, allegro is a tempo that is cheerful and lively: with gusto. We can all use more of that tempo these days.

Together, we can forge a renewed sense of community and a resolve to create joy together. If you would like more information at this time, please feel free to contact the co-chairs directly. I will be in touch with updates as the process unfolds..

Sincerely,

Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Ph.D.
Interim President