Mental Health Support Simulations
Now Available!
Mental Health Support Simulations is a new simulated and immersive training experience for all CSULB faculty and staff. This unique training tool was built specifically for CSULB and features gamified experiences where faculty and staff players practice genuine empathy, active listening, and facilitating appropriate campus referrals to wellness resources. Players interact with student avatars and support them through challenging personal scenarios in lifelike campus environments. Available 24/7 asynchronously in both English and Spanish, the simulation includes four modules with multiple endings, encouraging repeated play to improve skills. Modules increase in intensity and difficulty as players advance. Student scenarios presented in the modules were created using data from mental health services on campus including CARES referrals and Basic Needs assessments.
This training takes an innovative approach to learning and is so much more than a game - It's a gateway to creating a more empathic, confident, and student-ready campus community.
Know Before You Play
- The virtual simulation is only available on desktop and laptop devices. It is not available on mobile devices.
- Loading the game can take up to 2 minutes in your browser. Use these brief moments to take some breaths at your desk and thanks for being patient!
- You can provide feedback after completing each module OR wait until completing all four modules to provide feedback.
- There are stories, language, and events within these simulations that some people may find unsettling. If you experience severe distress while engaging in these simulations, please reach out to the campus resources for faculty and staff well-being, such as the Faculty/Staff assistance program or Life Matters by Empathia.
Training FAQs
All faculty and staff members on campus are eligible to engage in this training including state staff, auxiliary staff, Foundation staff, part-time and full-time professional staff, and faculty, and lecturers. If you have access to CSULB SSO, you will have access to this training.
You can access the training by clicking the “Play Now” button on this webpage.
Depending on the choices a player makes, several attempts may be required to advance in the game. A score of 4 out of 5 stars is required to advance to the next module. There are four training modules and you do not need to play them all at once. You can return to the came and pick-up where you left off. Each module can take approximately 15 – 45 minutes to complete. Focus testers would recommend allocating at least one hour to successfully complete all four modules.
At this time, all scores and playthrough data is anonymized to encourage faculty/staff members to play in the fail-safe environment. There may be opportunities for department or unit heads to encourage competition among different groups based on department level data, but not individual playthrough data.
No, the game was designed for faculty/staff members with varying levels of comfort with the topic of mental health. From beginner to expert, this is really an opportunity to test your skills in a low-stakes environment where failing does not impact real students. There may be parts of the game that will stump you – this is intentional to encourage repeat play.
Take the training whenever you want at a time that’s most convenient for you! It’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to be the most accommodating to the busy schedules of CSULB faculty/staff members.
Currently the training is only open to full-time or part-time faculty and staff members at CSULB. Student facing modules may be created based on feedback and effectiveness of the first faculty/staff modules.
Points are awarded by participating in conversation simulation and playing mini-games along the way. Points are awarded in 3 categories:
- Empathetic Engagement: Prioritizing students' feelings, lived experiences, and needs
- Compassionate Communication: Communicating with students while making them feel heard
- Appropriate Action: Actions to take, when to take them, and resource referrals
Once all four modules are completed, you will be emailed a digital badge and email signature graphic. A completion certificate can be downloaded from the game platform.
The Beach Wellness website has information on a number of other campus training options including the Wellness Ambassador Training, Lunch & Learns, Mental Health First-Aid, campus Ally Trainings, and more!
Facilitation Guide
We highly encourage group discussions after playing the simulated training experience. Having a dialogue with colleagues about the simulations also contributes to confidence in supporting students in challenging situations.
