Beach 2030 Project Spotlight: Find Help Now
In a moment of need, finding just the right services to confront an issue can be challenging. But CSULB’s recently launched Find Help Now tool aims to make it simple — locating nearby, relevant service providers with just a few keystrokes.
The newest mental health resource available through the Student Affairs Division’s one-stop health-and-wellness-shop, Beach Wellness, Find Help Now is its own repository linking those using it to myriad resources available on campus and in the surrounding local community.
As CSULB makes strides toward realizing its Beach 2030 vision, Find Help Now serves as another tool to further the university’s mission to cultivate resilience on campus and in the community by prioritizing the health and well-being of its constituents. It’s a meaningful addition to the growing stock of resources that support the tenants of Beach Well, CSULB’s mental health strategic plan, developed by Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Beth Lesen, and her team, which aims to declare equity, collaboration, foresight and easy access are at the forefront of creating a campus that champions healthy minds and bodies.
The tool is available to all students, staff and faculty. A set of questions seeks to understand the user’s unique need, and the answers filter down an archive of information on local resources to tailor the results only to relevant services.
Find Help Now at CSULB was born from a genuine need for a central location to house information on local health and wellness resources, and to streamline the process to finding services that fit a person’s unique situation. Candice Chick, health and wellness coordinator in the Student Affairs Division, said the tool was sought out after an intern in the division’s office voiced that students often have trouble identifying the best resource or service provider to address a given specific issue. A campus-wide pilot study in spring 2022 garnered positive reviews, she said, and the website launched at The Beach by fall.
Once on the website, a user can choose whether they are seeking resources for themself or someone else. The featured information includes contacts and details from organizations and agencies that can help with needs from physical safety concerns to mental health, conflict resolution and basic needs, among others.
State and federal resources — like local housing agencies, social services departments and public transportation — as well as nonprofits comprise the inventory on Find Help Now, spanning a geographical footprint of CSULB’s campus and the five counties from which most students and staff hail: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura.
The ability for faculty and staff to quickly locate appropriate resources for a student in need is a key benefit of the tool. And users can ensure their identity is protected as the website is anonymous — the answers they submit don’t capture personal information and the site doesn’t store specific user data.
When layered together, the many tools available through Beach Wellness strive to meet students, faculty and staff where they’re at, targeting a no-barriers approach to getting needed services. While some, for example, may find the resources they need through You@CSULB, others might see advantages in Find Help Now’s interface. And now, CSULB’s Beach Crisis Text Line and Find Help Now are aligned, allowing those reaching out for help via text to access information on local resources housed in Find Help Now’s inventory.
Find Help Now can be used for problems large or small. It can be accessed through Beach Wellness or by going to the website.
Implement innovative, entrepreneurial, and forward-looking actions to strengthen the institution and support the aspirations of community members.
- Prioritize our campus community’s health and well-being.
- Build infrastructure and adopt practices to promote sustainability and withstand climate uncertainty.
- Increase financial capacity through mechanisms such as legislative advocacy, philanthropy and community and industry partnerships to withstand economic volatility and further contribute to the economic development of the City of Long Beach and our region.
- Be nimble and proactive in an ever-changing technological landscape to support transformations in access, engagement, resilience, teaching, learning and research.
