Chancellor’s Office Advisory Group on Student Mental Health (COAGSMH) Meeting Summary
January 31, 2014 ~ Sacramento, CA
COAGSMH Members Present
Stephanie Dumont, Academic Senate for CCC, South Representative, Golden West College
Jeannine Farelly, California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) - Mental Health America of California
(MHAC)
Janine Moore, Riverside County Department of Mental Health
Brian Olowude, CCC Mental Health and Wellness Association, Fresno City College
Vic & Mary Ojakian, Parent Advocates/American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Becky Perelli, Health Services Association CCC, City College of San Francisco
Jenny Qian, Orange County Health Care Agency
Chris Villa, Fresno City College
CalMHSA
Ann Collentine
CCC Chancellor’s Office
Jeff Spano
Foundation for CCCs
Colleen Ammerman
Heather McClenahen
David Monti
Lee Anne Xiong
SMHP Project Partners
Kerrilyn Scott-Nakai (CARS)
Sally Jue (CARS)
Amy Springmeyer (CARS)
Kari DeCelle (CARS)
Bob Saltz (PIRE)
Rich McGaffigan (PIRE remote)
The Journey Towards Sustainability Continues: How Do We Support Long-Term Student Mental Health
Systems and Infrastructures?
The members briefly reviewed their role, which is to create and sustain long-term student mental health
services, systems, and infrastructure. This includes:
- extending student mental health services beyond the grant,
- engaging in big picture conversation,
- facilitating connections with County Mental Health,
- fostering community connections, and
- developing of recommendations to put forth to CCCCO for messaging.
Today’s agenda was developed to address the action items from the prior meeting:
- Align with Student Success and Support Program Initiative
- Connect with Career Pathways
- Capture and share student voice
- Provide guidance and leverage resources
Emphasis on mutual support was a theme throughout the meeting, as was the need to communicate clearly and
consistently across the system.
CalMHSA PEI Sustainability Plan
CalMHSA Executive Board recently approved Phase II of a two-phased sustainability plan. Phase I will be a
continuation of the current work plan from June 2014 through June 2015. Negotiations to extend statewide
projects are being made on a contract by contract basis.
Document1
1|Page
County participation, carryover of unspent funds, interest, and matching funds will act as bridge funding for
approved Phase I programs. The extension of existing services will be determined by criteria outlined in the
Sustainability Plan adopted by the Board. These include:
1. Statewideness:
a. Demonstrates public health approach by increasing awareness—statewide campaign
b. Policy recommendations
c. Demonstrates linkage and/or adds value to national campaign; such as the role of prevention for
ACA or CMS
d. Ability to be done locally
2. Regional Value:
a. Enhancing local activities with materials or resources for local county/stakeholders
b. Procuring resources at lower cost—media buys
c. Addresses unique regional need
3. Evidence of Impact to date:
a. Meaningful Quantitative Information
b. Meaningful Qualitative Information
c. Cost effectiveness
4. Evidence Based Practices from other states/localities or has potential to become an Evidence Based
Practice (including based on community-defined evidence)
5. General Leveraging
a. Current leveraging is strong
b. Future opportunity to leverage from additional funding sources
6. Adverse consequence if discontinued
a. Impact key to other projects
b. Long-term impact vs. short-term impact
7. Is this a short-term statewide project that is ready to be discontinued due to:
a. Demonstrated short-term impact
b. One time only
c. Local sustainability
8. Performance to date: (internal use only) (based on CalMHSA staff analysis)
a. Meets deliverables on time
b. Work products exhibit excellent quality
c. Demonstrate commitment to CalMHSA principles and mission
d. Few or no contract management issues
Phase II will begin in June, 2015. At the February, 2014 meeting, the CalMHSA Board will vote to fund PEI
Statewide Plans within the target range of 4-7% of local annual PEI funds for Phase II. Matching funds requested
from program partners will range from 10-50% match, with emphasis on contributions from education.
Additional information is available online at http://calmhsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/AGENDA-FINAL12-9-2013.pdf, beginning on page 12.
Counties are in the process of developing their 3-year plans where funding for local programs are under
consideration. This is a prime window of opportunity to effectively communicate to counties how statewide
programs support and enhance county efforts and will continue to do so. It is not about asking a county to
meet and then ask for funding. One example provided was how colleges have large, captive audiences and could
easily disseminate messages, information, etc. to assist with county outreach efforts. Sharing tools developed
from the statewide efforts with PEI coordinators was another suggestion.
Document1
2|Page
Advisory group members were invited to listen in to the CalMHSA monthly board meetings. Announcements are
online at http://calmhsa.org/. To receive email announcements, send a request to Bianca Vidales at
Bianca.Vidales@calmhsa.org.

Action Item: Group collectively agreed that it would be beneficial to use the funding evaluation criteria to
assess the current status of the CCC SMHP initiative and look for areas for improvement.
Campus Based Grant Funding Update
Several Campus Based Grants experienced administrative and programmatic barriers that affected the rate at
which funds were expended. Those with higher than anticipated balances were asked to adjust allocations and
identify carryover funds. These impacts affected nearly 60% of the 23 Campus Based Grants.

Action Item: To learn from this experience, COAGSMH members asked the Foundation to draft a report
on the challenges to grant execution that colleges identified.
Capitalizing on Innovation: Best Ways for Sharing Learnings with Colleges
A CARS consultant, Sally Jue, presented her findings from work with campuses. Ms. Jue provides assistance to
campuses to formalize referral and tracking protocols with community mental health providers, and explore
new ways to build capacity for mental health services for campuses. In addition, she has facilitated multiple
Regional Strategizing Forums hosted by Campus Based Grants.
Key points for collaboration noted from her work with colleges, County Mental Health departments, and
community based organizations include:
- Cross sharing of information
- Making the contacts and defining communication preferences and response timelines
- Incentivizing relationships (e.g., assistance with grant deliverables through events, etc.)
- Expanding participation beyond higher education-specific activities
- Making a mutual commitment that reinforces sustainability
A toolkit that offers guidance and discusses approaches to connect and navigate relationships between
community colleges to County Mental Health and vice versa was recommended.

Action Item: Colleen Ammerman, Becky Perelli, Janine Moore, and Jenny Qian will convene to explore
and develop a toolkit on collaboration between colleges and county mental health departments. Sally Jue
will assist with the effort.
Mobile apps have become a popular method to disseminate information to students. SAMHSA held a national
competition. Others include Prometheus’ “everyone needs help,” UC Davis mobile website, and My3. Fresno,
Rio Hondo, Riverside, and West LA developed mobile apps with grant funds.
Advisory group members discussed the need to garner input and feedback from students during, not after, the
development process of these types of applications and other technologies. Student focus groups, Student
Senate, and other institutions of higher educations are all viable partners in the development of these apps. The
Foundation indicated interest in supporting efforts to engage student groups in these processes.

Action Item: Brian Olowude from Fresno City College will contact the mobile app developer to determine
the feasibility of a webinar with CARS.
Document1
3|Page
Webinars, case studies, toolkits, or other products will be used to highlight innovative tools, practices, and
products developed throughout the grant. Webinars, however, are one of the more cost effective mechanisms
for knowledge transfer. The CARS CCC SMHP team is developing a schedule of webinars to capture the grantee
learnings. These are anticipated to launch in the Spring. CARS is also determining the feasibility of modifying the
Online Guide to Mental & Behavioral Health, Resources for College Students electronic product to a mobile app
platform.
Moving Towards Action: Finalize Letter of Support
At the previous COAGSMH meeting, the group agreed to submit a recommendation to the Chancellor to
promote and support student mental health via tailored communications to the CSSOs. While the letter was
initially intended to highlight the need for student mental health support, the advisory group determined that
explicit actions and recommendations were necessary.
Specifically, a more robust strategy was called for. The CalMHSA statewide PEI Phase I and II sustainability
efforts could facilitate the policy change for the CCC system to leverage resources to address the need for
student mental health services.
The strategy would call attention to the fact that 25% of the student population is impacted by mental health
issues, tie the need for student mental health with academic success, indicate outreach and support is needed
from the top-down, ask for support to sustain efforts, and outline how the CCC system can move to the next
level to support PEI efforts for student mental health.

Action Item: Jeff Spano, Ann Collentine, and Chris Villa will invite Linda Michalowski to coordinate and
meet and develop a plan to systematically address and promote student mental health in CCCs. VPs of
Instruction and Student Services will be the primary audience. This may include a site visit to Fresno City
College, as a model program.
Taking the Show on the Road: Maximizing Our Data and Sharing Our Results
Bob Saltz from PIRE presented sources of data, types of data collected, and results to date for CCC SMHP. A
COAGSMH member, Becky Perelli, provided a snapshot of community colleges that participate in the annual
ACHA-NCHA survey collected from CCCs and analyzed by the HSACCC.
It was agreed that outcome metrics are essential to capture the true impact of the program and effects of
technical assistance, trainings, webinars, etc. Information for off-campus referrals and whether or not students
follow up and connect to mental health services was one measure that the group was interested in. It was
suggested that one correlation to measure impact could be the number of staff and faculty who complete
Kognito training and the increase or decrease in referrals.
The 2012-13 HSACCC data is still under analysis, but should be completed in early spring. It will be shared at the
next COAG meeting. The student mental health advisory group from Riverside College, and other NAMI and
Active Minds chapters on campus, are potential partners to augment the data findings with the “student voice.”


Action Item: Members requested data on campuses with high rates of success for the Kognito training. A
tip sheet to market and incentive participation was also requested. Cabrillo College was recommended
as a possible campus to contact.
Action Item: PIRE will review and collate outcomes data currently collected.
Document1
4|Page

Action Item: Becky Perelli will coordinate with CARS to package key findings from the data and
incorporate the student voice. This may include a PowerPoint, info graphic, etc.
Announcements/Member Updates
Ann Collentine, CalMHSA
 New tools released from the stigma and discrimination reduction initiative:
Know the Signs - Suicide is Preventable http://www.suicideispreventable.org/
 Teacher credentialing for K-12 recently launched
 Tools for Change 2014 Conference March 7 – 8, 2014, San Francisco, CA
http://www.mentalhealthsf.org/
 Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Awareness Day, May 13, 2014, South Lawn, Capitol Building,
Sacramento, CA http://calmhsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/May-MH-Day-Flyer-Save-theDate.pdf
Vic Ojakian
 www.EachMindMatters.org offers numerous promotional materials; members were encouraged to
share
 Disability Rights California conducted an analysis to identify language from legislation that has become
outdated or is considered demeaning
 Efforts to institute suicide prevention policies as administration regulations at all school districts in his
county are underway. To date, 21 (schools?) have adopted suicide prevention policies.
Mary Ojakian
 Following a suicide cluster in the Palo Alto school district, a group of key leaders in the community and
subject matter experts developed the Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Toolkit. Mary Ojakian was a
key member of the group. Members asked for copies to share across systems (e.g., Safe and Supportive
Schools, Department of Education, etc.) The Toolkit is available online at
http://pausd.org/parents/services/health/downloads/ComprehensiveSuicidePreventionToolkitforSchool
s.pdf.
Jennifer Farrelly, CAYEN
 Conducted four focus groups with transitional age youth, one of which was LGBTQ specific. Participants
were primarily community college students. Preliminary findings indicated mental health services were
not advertised and were not integrated in health services, which caused many to hesitate accessing
counseling services due to stigma. Members asked that the findings be reviewed and discussed at the
next COAG meeting in April.
 The student policy workgroup reviewed and approved a K-12 curriculum applicable across the cohorts.
 CAYEN is currently in the process of creating and maintaining a statewide directory of youth-specific
drop-in centers.
FCCC Foster Youth Training
 15-20 grantees launched new curriculum.
Additional Resources:
 Online Guide to Mental & Behavioral Health, Resources for College Students
Document1
5|Page

Demonstration Site http://www.laspositascollege.edu/healthcenter/CCCSMHP/index.php
Download Files http://cccstudentmentalhealth.org/resources/index.php#training-materials
An Internship Model: The Life Skills Center - Los Angeles College Consortium
http://www.cccstudentmentalhealth.org/docs/Convening/2013_CBGConvening08_InternshipModel.pdf
Next Steps
CCC Chancellor’s Office:
 Jeff Spano, Ann Collentine, and Chris Villa will invite Linda Michalowski to coordinate and meet with VPs
of Instruction and Student Services and develop strategy to systematically address and promote student
mental health in CCCs. This may include a site visit to Fresno City College, which is viewed as a model
program.
Foundations for CCCs:
 Compile brief report of administrative and programmatic challenges experienced by CBGs in the
management of SMHP grant funds
 Colleen Ammerman, Becky Perelli, Janine Moore, and Jenny Qian will explore and develop a CCC/DMH
collaboration toolkit.
CCC SMHP Partners (CARS/Kognito/PIRE)
 Email final copy of the meeting PowerPoint, CalMHSA Phase I funding criteria, and (Each Mind Matters,
Suicideispreventable.org, LA Harbor Life Skills Center) resources to COAGSMH members.
 Brian Olowude from Fresno City College will contact the mobile app developer to determine the
feasibility of a webinar with CARS.
 CARS will review the Online Guide to Mental & Behavioral Health, Resources for College Students to
determine what updates can be made (e.g., webinars, additional websites, etc.) A mobile app will also
be explored.
 PIRE will review and collate outcomes data currently collected.
 Becky Perelli will coordinate with CARS and PIRE to package key findings from the HSACCC 2012-13 data.
This may include a PowerPoint, info graphic, etc.
Future Discussion
 Align CalMHSA funding sustainability plan criteria to SMHP
 Report out from workgroups (Jeff Spano, Colleen Ammerman)
 Review and discuss CAYEN TAY focus group findings
 Report on barriers and lessons learned that led to CBG underspending of budget
 Getting resources converted into mobile apps or other programs
Document1
6|Page