April 5, 2021
Dear Yale College students,
We are writing to announce two expansions of mental health and wellness support: a new program in Yale College and a staffing increase in the Department of Mental Health and Counseling (MHC). Together, these expansions will add 14 full-time staff positions.
The new program in the residential colleges, Yale College Community Care (YC3), expands mental health and wellness support by devoting eight new full-time staff members to Yale College’s diverse student population. They will be affiliated with specific residential colleges, so you will soon come to know them as part of your college's community.
Four of the YC3 staff members are College Care Clinicians, who are licensed clinical psychologists and licensed social workers available to you for drop-in clinical care. They will have offices near the residential colleges, rather than in Yale Health’s clinic on Lock Street; this spring, they are meeting with students virtually. The YC3 clinicians are part of the Mental Health and Counseling staff, and meetings with them are confidential. They also work closely with the rest of the YC3 team on common issues and community programming.
Four YC3 staff members are Community Wellness Specialists, who can work with you on practical strategies for your overall well-being. The tools and approaches they offer can be used alongside therapy or on their own. The YC3 specialists will have offices in the residential colleges; this semester, they are meeting with students virtually, and are also available for in-person, socially distanced consultations outdoors. They are part of Yale College’s Office of Student Affairs and work together with heads, deans, first-year counselors, and peer liaisons as members of the residential college’s support team. The YC3 specialists can also connect you to other resources throughout the university.
All eight YC3 clinicians and specialists expand the types and settings for mental health support and make it easier and faster for you to get counseling. You can turn to any of them, even if you are unsure which option is best for you. Along with their own services, the YC3 staff will provide a pathway if you are thinking about pursuing more formal, ongoing therapy through Mental Health and Counseling. You can schedule YC3 appointments directly; information about each staff member appears below, with links to their calendars.
Although the formal YC3 launch is scheduled for the 2021-2022 academic year, the program is already available to you. Two of its four College Care Clinicians and two of its four Community Wellness Specialists have been hired and supporting students since the start of the spring 2021 semester, and later in the rollout, groups and events will be available. Student groups and individual students have been providing feedback during this initial stage, and the YC3 program will continue to incorporate student ideas as it continues its rollout.
Mental Health and Counseling is also expanding its staff by adding six new full-time positions at its Lock Street clinic. This increase will make it easier and faster if you are seeking therapy and treatment there. To schedule an appointment, you can always call (203) 432-0290 during regular business hours. You can also call that same number any time, day or night, to speak to a clinician immediately.
These two expansions have been made possible by the generous support of anonymous donors and the offices of the president and the provost. We are very grateful to them for strengthening the resources available to you.
Sincerely,
Marvin M. Chun
Dean of Yale College
Paul Hoffman
Chief of Mental Health & Counseling