Participants in the Equity in Mental Health EDI Series will be able to:

1. Understand trauma informed program design and implementation to support student well-being.
2. Identify stressors and practice self-care strategies to model and share with impacted student populations.
3. Address the intersections of DEIB and TI practices to center the needs of our most vulnerable and impacted student populations.

The purpose of these learning outcomes is to equip student-facing faculty, staff, and practitioners with the skills, tools, and knowledge needed to address the mental health needs of our students.

Winter 2025 Events

"Safety, Voice, and Choice: Infusing Trauma-Informed Practice into our Work and Workplaces"

A workshop was facilitated by Marianne Frapwell, Director of the Campus Advocacy, Resources, and Education at the Sexual Assault Resource Center (CARE at SARC). These workshops support our learning outcomes for student-facing staff and faculty, as part of the Equity in Mental Health quarterly series. The goal of this session was for participants to gain a deeper understanding of trauma-informed practices and how to implement tangible tools and strategies into their work spaces and programming to support UC San Diego students.

The workshop was offered twice to maximize participation.

Monday, March 3
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The Forum (Price Center, Fourth Floor)

Wednesday, March 5
2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Huerta Vera Cruz Rooms

In the News: Fostering Safety, Voice and Choice on Campus

Resources from the Workshop:

•  Workshop Deck
• Self & Community Care Worksheet
• CARE - Trauma-Informed Response to Disclosures of Violence
• CARE - Being Trauma-Informed
• Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy & Practice: Trauma-Informed Workplaces: Concepts, Strategies, and Tactics to Build Workplaces that Support Well-Being (W. Marris, n.d.)
• Education Northwest: Trauma-Informed Pratices for Postsecondary Education: A Guide (S. Davidson, n.d.)

We hosted the first event of this year’s series, “Mental Health: Practical Strategies to Manage Emotions in Our Daily Lives.” These workshops were offered in two independent sessions, presented by Dr. Dalia Pimentel, an expert working with the Latino community. Her research and clinical experience focused on the stress associated with living and working in a new environment.

In the News: "Managing Emotions in Our Daily Lives"

Session in Spanish with simultaneous English interpretation was available
Salud Mental: Estrategias Prácticas para Manejar Nuestras Emociones en Nuestro Día a Día
Martes 8 de octubre de 2024 de 11 a.m. a 12:30 p.m.
Atkinson Pavilion/Faculty Club

Grabación del evento:

Event Presentation (Presentación de PowerPoint del Evento)

Session in English with Spanish interpretation was available
Mental Health: Practical Strategies to Manage Emotions in Our Daily Lives
Thursday, October 10, 2024 | 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 
Dolores Huerta/ Philip Vera Cruz Room

Event Recording:

Event Presentation

Call for Grant Proposals

$5,000 - $15,000 Pilot Funding

We are no longer accepting grant proposals at this time.

The University of California, San Diego Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will fund projects that advance the goals of the EMH Initiative. These programs should have a high likelihood of institutionalization. The goals of EMH Initiative are outlined in our Learning Outcomes.

Research that elucidates disparities and inequities, although beneficial, are not the intent this funding mechanism.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Project Leaders/Investigators eligible for mini grants include faculty, staff, and current students from UC San Diego.
• Projects must have pending or committed other sources of support (institutional, gift, or grant) to apply.
• Projects must focus on the UC San Diego campus community
• Research proposals are not eligible.

Application Guidelines:

The criteria for funding will include Significance, Innovation, Approach, Evaluation, and Sustainability. All applicants must submit a proposal of no more than 5 pages. The proposal must include:

Background (1 page)

• Statement of the problem

• Significance of the work and key outcome(s)

Program Narrative and Impact (2 pages)

• A description of the proposed project, program, or pilot

• Project/program aim(s) and goal(s)

• Methods

• Any collaborative partnership proposed including all co-investigators

Program Evaluation (1 page)

A description of how you will assess and analyze the success of the project/program

Programming Deadline

Event or programming must occur prior to June 1, 2024.

Budget and Justification (1 page)

Brief explanation of how the funds will be used

CVs of Project Leaders/Investigators (not included in page count)

Overall Impact: 

Reviewers will evaluate impact of the project on advancing one or more of the EMH Initiative goals.  The probability that the project may lead to other institutional, governmental, or foundation funding will also be assessed.  

This funding mechanism will favor proposals that have the potential to advance systemic changes at UC San Diego that will exert a sustained, powerful influence on increased access to support services, create and center communities, and advance healing justice and equity in mental health at UC San Diego as adjunct to fostering an inclusive and equitable climate for students, staff, and faculty.

Core Review Criteria:

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of merit, and give a separate score for each.

• Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to equity in mental health at UC San Diego? If the aims of the project are achieved, will campus climate, inclusion, access and success, and/or support services improve at UC San Diego?
• Project Leader. Are the project leaders/investigators and collaborators well-suited to implement the project? Have the project leaders/investigators and/or collaborators demonstrated how their background and skills will ensure successful implementation and completion of the proposed project.  Do they have the skill set and experience to address and improve equity in mental health at UC San Diego?
• Does the application propose solid, evidence-based approaches to improving equity in mental health for staff, faculty, or students at UC San Diego? 
• Are the overall strategy, methodology, and activities well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aim(s) of the project?
• What is the potential for continued support, beyond the pilot period, from non VC-EDI sources?
• Will the evaluation plan measure the impact of the project and the project’s potential for institutionalization?
• Is the budget reasonable and well thought out? 
• Other Support. Have the project leaders/investigators sought out additional funds to implement the project? What other funds (departmental, divisional, gift, grant) are already committed to this project?

Use of Funds: Funds of $5,000 - $15,000 may be requested. Funds will not be awarded for ongoing work nor for bridge funding. Research proposals are not eligible.

We expect to fund between 3-6 projects, based on merit of submitted applications.

Spring 2024 Sessions

Event Photos

In the News: "Building a Culture of Care"

Winter 2024 Session

Thursday, March 7, 2024 
9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Price Center East Ballroom (2nd floor of the Price Center)

Event Photos

Event Presentation

Suggested Pre-Reading: 

• Cycle of Socialization
• Cycle of Liberation
• Check out the Nap Ministry on Instagram or X
• Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey
  • Available at Libélula Books & Co

In the News: "Shifting Perspectives: Equity in Mental Health Event Explores Concepts of Self-Care, Rest"

About the Presenter: 

Izzy Narvaez is the Assistant Director of Equity and Inclusion Education and Training at the Cross-Cultural Center, a unit of the Vice Chancellor Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Izzy earned her B.A. in Political Science and Critical Gender Studies from UC San Diego and went on to earn a M.A. in Post Secondary Educational Leadership and Student Affairs from San Diego State University. Since high school, Izzy has been facilitating discussions and organizing events related to social justice, intersectionality, and other societal issues, always aiming to center strategies of liberation and resistance. In her current role, Izzy serves both student and staff populations at UC San Diego through overseeing Social Justice Education (SJE) programs. Recent discussion and event topics include implicit bias, allyship practices, intersectionality and community cultural wealth. Izzy is particularly passionate about providing students and staff with the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to spark change in their communities.

Fall 2023 Sessions

For Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Instructors 
Monday, November 6, 2023 
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  
 

For Faculty, Lecturers and other Instructors 
Tuesday, November 7, 2023 
12 p.m. to 2 p.m. 
 
In these workshops led by Dr. Mays Imad, participants examined the state of higher education and the increase in self-reported burnout, overwhelm, and disengagement.  What is happening to our students and colleagues? How can we help ourselves and each other heal, re-engage with learning, grow, and thrive?   
 
Participants learned about the science of biological and behavioral resilience, and the recent discourse on resilience in education highlighting the consequences of expecting students to withstand hardships. We invited educators to explore how to create resilient spaces in which colleagues and students, particularly those from historically underserved and marginalized backgrounds, are equipped with the necessary skills, resources, and support to navigate the various challenges they encounter, as well as to grow and learn from these experiences.  
 
By the end of the workshop, participants would have: 

• Examined the multidimensional nature of resilience in the context of higher education, exploring its implications on teaching, learning, and overall student and faculty experience.   
• Defined the relationship between culturally-responsive teaching and successful student engagement and learning.  

• Developed strategies that equip students, faculty, and other instructors with the necessary skills and resources, enabling them to effectively navigate challenges and transform these experiences into opportunities for growth and learning. 

Suggested Reading: 

• Healing Justice Lineages by Cara Page and Erica Woodland  
• What does it mean to be human in the aftermath of historical trauma? By Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela  
• Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education by Alex Shevrin Venet 
• The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate 

In the News: "Harnessing our Collective Resilience: Educators Discuss Burnout, Mental Health"

About the Presenter: 
Dr. Mays Imad's academic journey began at the University of Michigan–Dearborn, where she pursued philosophy and minored in chemistry. She earned a doctoral degree in cellular & clinical neurobiology, with a minor in biomedical sciences, from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona's Department of Neuroscience, she joined Pima Community College (PCC), teaching a variety of biology-related subjects. During her tenure at PCC, she founded their Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). 
 
Currently an associate professor at Connecticut College, Dr. Imad is interested in understanding the social determinants of student well-being and success and conducts research on equity pedagogy. Her work reflects a deep commitment to equity and justice in and through education. With fervor, she advocates for institutions to pay close attention to intergenerational trauma and to prioritize healing and wellbeing. She is a Gardner Institute Fellow, an AAC&U Senior STEM Fellow, and Mind and Life Institute Fellow. 

Kickoff Summer Session

Podcast Series Host:

Kyler Nathan, IV, MBA, D-Enterprise Program Manager at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Podcast Host of the Banquet Hall Podcast  

Episode 1 | Series Kickoff 

Guests: UC San Diego Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP)

Jennifer Triana, LCSW, FSAP Counselor
William Youngblood, M.S., LMFT, CEAP, CATP, FSAP Counselor
Cathy (Cat) Thompson, Ph.D., FSAP Counselor
Crystal Green, Ph.D., LMFT, CEAP, Director
Izabel Francy, LCSW, PMH-C, CEAP, FSAP Counselor
Bryan McNutt, Ph.D., LMFT, CEAP, FSAP Counselor
Christina Lambert, Ph.D., FSAP Counselor

Episode 2 | Trauma Informed Pedagogy with Dr. Mays Imad

Guest: Dr. Mays Imad, Associate Professor of Biology at Connecticut College

 Episode 3 | Rest as Resistance

Guest: Izzy Narvaez is the Assistant Director of Equity and Inclusion Education and Training at the Cross-Cultural Center

Episode 4 | Building a Culture of Care: A Collective Impact Approach for Holistically Supporting Black College Men’s Mental Health

Guest: Dr. Jarrel T. Johnson, Assistant Professor of Higher Education within the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Utah

Episode 5 | Equidad en Saludad Emocional

Host: Dr. Miriam Wood Alameda, VC EDI Program Coordinator

Guest: Dr. Dalia Pimentel

•  The Essential Role Of Mental Health For A Diverse, Inclusive Workplace (Forbes)
  
  • As employers strive to advance racial justice, they must focus on mental health in both their workplaces and their communities. This article offers several important actions they can take.
    
    
• The Four Bodies: A Holistic Toolkit for Coping With Racial Trauma
  • A holistic strategy to rest, rehabilitate and rebuild by recognizing that bodies are made up of four distinct parts: the mental body, the emotional body, the physical body and the spiritual body. This toolkit shows what a holistic approach to coping with racial trauma can look like.

•  Healing Justice Lineages: Dreaming at the Crossroads of Liberation, Collective Care, and Safety by Cara Page, Erica Woodland
  • A profound offering and call to action—collective stories, testimonials, and incantations for renewing political and spiritual liberation grounded in Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and Queer and Trans healing justice lineages.

• Healing Justice Practice Spaces: A How-To Guide
  • A Healing Justice Practice Space is an all-gender, allbodied, inclusive and accessible space for practicing and receiving healing that is built in partnership with social justice movement work and sites of political action.
    
    
• It’s a New Era for Mental Health at Work (Harvard Business Review)
  
  •  In a follow-up study of their 2019 Mental Health at Work Report, the authors offer a rare comparison of the state of mental health, stigma, and work culture in U.S. workplaces before and during the pandemic. They also present a summary of what they learned and their recommendations for what employers need to do to support their employees’ mental health.
    
    
•  Take a critical look at equity, diversity, and inclusion policies (American Psychological Association)
  • Evaluate your company policies and programs to ensure they support people of color, LGBTQ+ populations, and people with disabilities.

• Becoming Truly Inclusive: Incorporating Diversity, Equity & Inclusion into Your Organization 
  • TEDx speaker and founder of Abbey Research, Dr. Kristen Donnelly discusses ways organizations can start to practice what they preach and take real action towards becoming truly inclusive. Dr. Donnelly introduces the term “radical inclusive authentic hospitality”, discusses why shame is an unproductive emotion, and provides places to start that can help enable real change.
    
    
• Black Women in the Workplace
  • In this episode of Therapy for Black Girls, Dr. Kecia M. Thomas, Dean, professor, and expert in the psychology of workplace diversity explores the complexities of color blindness in the workplace, overt and covert signs of workplace discrimination, and the critical research on diversity resistance in the workplace.
    
    
• Race Equity, Intersectionality and Mental Health at Work
  • Mental Health First Aid England explores the relationships between race, identity, and the impacts on mental health at work. Aimed at Senior Leaders, HR, and Wellbeing professionals, this webinar will explore the importance of challenging from the top in order to address inequities in the workplace and creating a mentally healthy culture.
    
    
• Emotional Inclusion and Mental Wellness 
  • Dr. Indigo, a success, mind and wellness practitioner, talks about workforce diversity, the stigma around mental health in the workforce, equality in corporations, why it’s important to have someone who will listen to you in the workplace and so much more.
    
    
• Transformational Leadership
  • Dr. Thema speaks with Executive Coach Patrice Ford Lyn about being a leader. They discuss the qualities of a good leader, ways to handle those who are resistant to change, and unique challenges and solutions for leaders with historically excluded identities, including those who are BIPOC, Queer, and/or women.
    
    
• Trauma Informed Teaching & Learning with Mays Imad
  • Dr. Mays Imad discusses holistic approaches to teaching and learning in this deeply informative and highly relevant conversation for all - especially those involved in formal and informal education, training or mentoring. 
    
    
• When Psychological Safety & Emotional Inclusion Come Together
  • Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School Amy Edmondson dives deep into what Psychological safety means, how it helps teams and organizations create a workplace environment where people can speak up, feel seen, be heard and understood. 
    
    
• Workplace Wellbeing: Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace Webinar
  • During this webinar, speakers discuss the importance of supporting employees' mental health in the workplace; how to recognise when an employee is struggling; implementing inclusive mental health campaigns at work and Allan Reid's personal mental health journey. Featuring guest speakers Leyla Okhai, CEO and founder of Diverse Minds, and EDI Consultant Allan Reid.

• Supporting the Hidden Worker: Supervising Diverse Employees 
  • This presentation and interactive workshop will explore some of the main workplace stressors affecting diverse-identified employees, with primary consideration of the pervasive obstacles associated with minority stress.  We will explore opportunities that leaders have to provide culturally responsive support for diverse-identified employees, including effective supervisory engagement that fosters psychological safety and models a learning culture of work.  Email Bryan McNutt for more information.
    
    
• BIPOC Support Group
  • This monthly group meeting will provide a supportive online conversational space created for any UC San Diego campus employee identifying as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). This space is held with the intention of connecting around our identities and exploring our shared common experiences. Email Cat Thompson and/or Jennifer Triana for more information. (Third Tuesday of the month from 12 - 1 p.m.)

• UC San Diego Employee Wellness
• Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective
• Melanin and Mental Health
• Mental Health America
• Rest for Resistance by QTPOC Mental Health
• South Asian Sexual & Mental Health Alliance
• The Steve Fund
• Trevor Project
• We R Native