Health and Wellness

Unforeseen events happen all the time to disturb your study routine – many of them could impact you significantly (e.g., death or serious illness of a family member, loss of stable housing, loss of financial support, etc.).

Although living through those life struggles is all part of the life, many students are still developing the mental capacity, maturity, and resilience to deal with such adversity. When overwhelmed, they stop showing up in many aspects of their life, including taking care of their mind.

If you have stopped believing in yourself that you can be successful, have a psychological/financial/basic need issue that prevents you from engaging in classes, or want to talk to someone about things you can do to make the current situation better, please be sure to check out one of the resources on this list.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

Sometimes personal problems require more assistance than can be found within your own circle of support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), which is located in Brotman Hall Room 226, offers counseling for students who are struggling with issues such as family and social relationships, romantic relationships, life transitions, sexuality, grief, stress, sexual assault, anxiety, loss of motivation, or depression.

If you have any of these concerns or would like general professional assistance, please come in or call for an intake. CAPS services include short-term counseling for individuals, group counseling, career development counseling, referral services, psycho-educational workshops, and crisis intervention.

Counseling is provided by mental health professionals and by advanced doctoral psychology interns under the supervision of licensed psychologists. CAPS welcomes students of all backgrounds, value systems, and lifestyles.

If you are experiencing a crisis, please Text BEACH to 741-741 immediately.

Otherwise, call 562.985.4001 for appointments.

NOTE: Sometimes it could take weeks to receive non-crisis services at CAPS. You may want to consider checking out a third party service, Psychology Today, to receive more timely assistance. They accept most major insurances.

Community Clinic for Counseling and Educational Services

The Community Clinic for Counseling and Educational Services (formerly Educational Psychology Clinic), that is located in ED2-155, has been the setting for affordable counseling, academic intervention, and psycho-educational assessment services for over 40 years. Services are provided with both adults and children.

For Adults, counseling services can be provided with individuals, couples, or family.

For Children (ages 6-17), services include intensive academic interventions for reading/writing and math, youth counseling, psycho-educational assessments, and developmental assessments (ages 3-6).

Student Health Service

Student Health Services aims to foster academic success and student development by promoting overall wellness though affordable and accessible high quality health services and education. Working together as a collaborative care team, they provide sensitive, confidential, and inclusive health care services to a diverse campus community.

Student Health Services is located on the corner of Beach Drive and Merriam Way across from the Nursing Department (6003 Beach Drive, Long Beach, CA 90815).

Student Health Services is your campus health clinic, to support and serve you on campus and virtually.

Basic Needs

The CSULB Basic Needs Department, located in the University Student Union (USU) Room 112, assists and immediately serves students who have been displaced, experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, an emergency, and/or a crisis.

Basic Needs provides services and resources to remove barriers and empower students to persist and thrive in their educational journey towards academic success.

The services they provide include:

  • Meal Assistance Program can virtually add meals to students' ID cards so that students can eat hot meals at the dining halls on campus.
  • Student Emergency Grant is available to students who have exhausted all of their aid and find themselves in an unforeseen circumstance.
  • Health-Related and/or Medical Costs (LEADS Grant). Unexpected medical bills can make it difficult to afford other basic necessities. These may include unexpected medical expenses such as deductibles, co-pays, specialized treatment, emergency care, and other health-related costs. The grant awardee must be a currently enrolled CSULB student with a minimum of six (6) units.
  • Short-Term Emergency Housing utilizes the on campus dorms for emergency housing for students who have been displaced. They are able to stay in the dorms for 2-3 weeks and may have meals provided to them through the Meal Assistance Program.
  • Rapid Rehousing is a new program that started in the 2020-2021 academic year. They partner with a local nonprofit called Jovenes to provide long term housing solutions for students who go through emergency housing such as rapid rehousing and bridge housing.

Need to meet with a Basic Needs staff member? Please see Basic Needs Services and Application for the application form. Once your application is submitted, you will be contacted by a Basic Needs staff member via phone or your CSULB email within 2-3 business days.

CalFresh at the Beach

CalFresh is the name of the USDA-funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the state of California.

The METRIC Scholarship Program has been approved as a CalFresh Local Program that Increases Employability (LPIE), which means that METRIC scholars may be eligible for CalFresh!

CalFresh is FREE money for groceries. CalFresh benefits are loaded to a benefit card each month and can be spent at most grocery stores and through online grocery purchasing. It connects eligible students with up to $291 per month to spend on groceries.

See Beach CalFresh Outreach for information on how to apply. For questions, contact Tai Banks-Gardner, CSULB CalFresh Outreach Specialist, at 562.985.2038 or Tai.Banks-Gardner@csulb.edu.

Beach Pantry

The ASI Beach Pantry, located on the first floor of the University Student Union (USU), USU-116, operates as the official food pantry for Long Beach State students. The pantry provides non-perishable food items for students in need. No Appointments needed during the summer!

Find Help Now

Find Help Now is an anonymous support services navigation tool that helps students, faculty and staff connect to the right help in moments of need in just a few clicks.

This service is for any situation, large or small, sudden or gradual. Crisis can take many forms, whether it is coping with a stressful event, a family challenge, a financial hardship, or a mental and/or physical health condition. No matter what life throws your way, help is here for you. Use Find Help Now for yourself or to help a friend or colleague that you see struggling.

Additional Resources

Beach Wellness is a one-stop-shop at CSULB to address health and wellness needs. Please see their Health and Wellbeing Resources to help you navigate a myriad of health and wellness resources available on-campus as well as off-campus.