Yale College Community Care (YC³)
Yale College Community Care (YC³)
About the Program
Yale College Community Care ( YC3), a program created through the collaboration between Yale College and Yale Mental Health and Counseling, expands mental health and wellness support to Yale College’s diverse undergraduate student community. In addition to the services that remain available to students via the department of Yale Mental Health and Counseling, the YC3 program offers students additional options for support. The YC3 program provides students the ability to drop-in with a team member during a day/time of their choosing.
Founded in the spring of 2021, YC3 has nine full-time staff members; four College Care Clinicians and five Community Wellness Specialists. All team members meet with students individually and through group opportunities. In addition to these services, YC3 team members can assist students who are thinking about pursuing more formal, ongoing therapy through Yale Mental Health and Counseling. Students can schedule YC3 appointments directly.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide short-term mental health and wellness services to Yale undergraduates. We offer readily accessible individual and group opportunities that are tailored to a diversity of student needs. A partnership between Yale College and Yale Mental Health and Counseling, we strive to promote a student-centered culture of well-being.
College Care Clinicians are licensed clinical social workers and psychologists who are available to meet with students in locations near the residential colleges for drop-in clinical care. 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.
Community Wellness Specialists are available to meet in the residential colleges with students who want to work on practical strategies for overall well-being. They are part of Yale College’s Student Affairs Office and work together with heads, deans, first-year counselors, and peer liaisons as members of the residential college’s support team. The tools and approaches they offer can be used alongside therapy or on their own. The YC3 specialists can also connect students to other resources throughout the university.
Need urgent support? To speak to an on-call clinician 24/7 (including after-hours and weekends) call this number: 203-432-0290
Mental Health and Counseling
Mental Health and Counseling continues to offer treatment to students who would like to pursue formal therapy in a clinical setting, and the new staff expansion will make it easier and faster for students to be seen. Students can always call (203) 432-0290 during regular business hours to schedule appointments. They 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.
Need urgent support? To speak to an on-call clinician 24/7 (including after-hours and weekends) call this number: 203-432-0290
YC³ Events
YC³ offers virtual workshops for all undergraduate students at Yale College on topics such as: Sleep 101, Mindfulness, Stress Management & Restorative Yoga. For a complete list of our offerings, with instructions on how to sign up, explore the Yale Connect Events List. If you are interested in a therapeutic group offering this semester, please email college.care.clinicians@yale.edu.
If you are interested in YC³ collaborating or leading a program for your Yale College group, organization, or department, please use our request form and someone will get back to you.
Meet Our Staff
Corinne Coia, Director of Student Well-Being
Corinne Coia is the Director of Student Well-Being. Corinne provides oversight and leadership for the Good Life Center and the Yale College Community Care (YC3) program and provides a limited number of 1:1 wellness appointments with students. She loves working with students through a holistic lens to help support them through their unique life challenges. She has experience working with members of the LGBTQ+ community and has extensive experience working with topics such as stress management, relationships, sleep, body image and athlete specific issues. Prior to Yale, Corinne spent several years working clinically with eating disorders, anxiety and athlete issues before transitioning into the wellness and prevention area. Corinne earned her Master's in Social Work and Bachelor's in Kinesiology from the University of New Hampshire where she was a member and captain of the Women's Basketball team. Corinne currently resides in New Haven with her wife Elizabeth, their daughter and two dogs. Corinne enjoys hiking, home renovations and painting/photography.
Please be aware that Corinne has limited availability, please keep scrolling to see the rest of the team.
Community Wellness Specialists
Email: community.wellness.specialists@yale.edu
Common Topics for a CWS
Stress management, motivation, sleep, communication skills, identity development, time management, LGBTQIA+ matters, difficult conversations, imposter syndrome, procrastination, body image, mindfulness, self-compassion, boundaries, relationships, overall wellness
Ricky Belizaire, Wellness Programming
Ricky Belizaire (ricardo.belizaire@yale.edu) Committed to helping others be successful, Ricky centers his care around belief, inclusion, and empathy. He has experience working with students from many different backgrounds and communities, including first-generation college students, LGBTQ+ students, BIPOC students, and transfer students while recognizing the many intersections folks often occupy. Prior to Yale, Ricky spent two years at the University of Georgia working within the UGA Pride Center building out wellness programs and leading educational trainings that connected students to resources on campus and in the local community. Ricky has a breadth of knowledge and experience teaching about creating boundaries, time/stress management, self-care, communication skills, identity development/exploration, and transitional periods. Ricky earned his Master’s in College Student Affairs Administration from the University of Georgia and in his spare time enjoys cooking, dancing, and traveling.
In addition to being a CWS, Ricky Belizaire supports wellness programming. Ricky provides oversight and implementation for wellness related programs and support's YC3's liaison campus partnerships.
Whitney Simmons
Whitney Simmons (whitney.simmons@yale.edu) is passionate about helping students access and utilize skills that support their unique wellness goals. Whitney considers diversity, equity, and inclusion when working with others and strives to help others establish supports and connections in their communities. Whitney has been in the helping field for seven years and has experience with: mentoring, in-home and outpatient therapy, and delivering mental health consultation services to: communities, children, families, and individuals. Whitney has great experience and knowledge regarding interpersonal relationships, communication skills, self-care, and planning/organization, roommate issues/concerns, and athletes. Whitney is a Licensed Professional Counselor born in raised in New Haven, CT. Whitney earned her Master’s of Art Clinical Practices degree from the University of Hartford. Whitney is a Harry Potter fan, loves cooking, and enjoys listening to podcasts.
Cindy Avila
Cindy Avila (cindy.avila@yale.edu) is a bilingual New Haven native who has worked in the community for over 10 years with its culturally diverse population. She loves working with young adults and is passionate about supporting students through their personal growth and wellness. She uses a person-centered approach to helping clients navigate life challenges. Cindy has knowledge and experience teaching assertiveness and communication skills, creating boundaries, healthy relationships, exploring spirituality/faith, utilizing time management, improving self-care, and managing stress/anxiety. Cindy earned her Master’s in Community Mental Health Counseling at Southern Connecticut State University. In her spare time, she enjoys salsa dancing, New Haven pizza, reading, movies, and spending time with her friends and family.
Angie Makomenaw, Health Promotion & Marketing
Angie Makomenaw (angelyn.makomenaw@yale.edu) has spent 16+ years supporting and advocating for mental health clinical teams within university settings (Wesleyan University, University of Northern Colorado, and University of Utah) and her own tribal community, Saginaw Chippewa. She is also a peer grant reviewer for the Department of Justice specifically working on grants supporting human trafficking organizations and tribal communities. Angie enjoys supporting, guiding, and learning from students the best ways to integrate well-being practices. She identifies as indigenous (Ojibwe/Apache) and loves to blend the medicine and wellness wheels together. Angie has a wealth of experience teaching about healthy relationships, communication skills, sleep dynamics, self-care, supporting others, creating boundaries, motivation, imposter syndrome, mindfulness, alcohol and substance use, and is a QPR trainer. In her free time, Angie enjoys watching high levels of television with her family and enjoying the views of the beautiful outdoors from the comfort of the indoors. She lives with her partner (Matthew) and children (Odeno & Ishkode Nimkee). Not to be forgotten, she also lives with their cats, Jasper and Aanii, who keeps them all in line with their condescending stares.
In addition to being a CWS, Angie oversees the creation and production of wellness focused educational and outreach materials. Additionally, she collaborates with the Good Life Center to implement campus-wide wellness initiatives
College Care Clinicians
Kim Nguyen, Psy.D.
Kim Nguyen, Psy.D., (she/her) (kim-tuyen.nguyen@yale.edu) completed her Bachelor’s degree in Combined Sciences at Santa Clara University and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at California School of Professional Psychology-San Francisco. College can be a challenging and exhilarating time. Kim has experience working with students to address issues relating to academic performance, forming social connections with roommate(s)/friends and/or romantic partner(s), gender and sexuality exploration, cultural and racial identities, alcohol and substance use, and/or issues relating to grief and bereavement. She also has experience working with international students, students who are first in their family to attend college, and/or students with special status such as DACA. In her clinical work, Kim cultivates and co-creates with students a warm, compassionate, transparent, and meaningful space to think through challenges. She utilizes mindfulness practices, cognitive and behavioral strategies, insight and relational patterns in her therapeutic sessions.
Clara Mesa, LCSW
Clara Mesa (clara.mesa@yale.edu) is a Colombian-American, bilingual Clinical Social Worker, who completed both her Bachelor’s degree and MSW from Boston College. As a first-generation college student, Clara is passionate about empowering students to navigate their college experience while prioritizing their mental health. She employs culturally sensitive and affirming therapeutic interventions in a range of specialties from trauma, anxiety and depression, to acculturation issues and identity exploration. Clara developed her therapy practice over the last 10 years with children, adolescents, and families in community mental health settings. For each student, Clara fosters a safe and inclusive environment in order to help each individual embrace their strengths, navigate challenges, and achieve their fullest potential. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and trying any lemon-flavored foods.
Elizabeth Burns, LCSW
Elizabeth Burns is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and will be working part time for YC3 during the fall of 2024 while other staff members are on parental leave. Elizabeth joined Yale Health in December 2023 as the Embedded Counselor at Yale Divinity School and earned her M.S.W. from The Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago. She has previously worked in community mental health and university settings in the United States and in New Zealand. Elizabeth specializes in working with stress and anxiety and has a special interest in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is an evidence-based treatment focused on clarifying what matters to you and moving in the direction of your goals and values, even when difficult thoughts and feelings show up. Elizabeth balances a collaborative and active approach to therapy. Sessions are focused on helping students identify and step back from unhelpful patterns of thinking or behavior, clarify values and stay accountable in moving toward what matters. Elizabeth seeks to create an affirming space for everyone and is interested in supporting other members of the LGBTQIA community.
Lauren Moss-Racusin, Ph.D.
Dr. Moss-Racusin (lauren.moss-racusin@yale.edu) completed a Bachelor’s degree in Hispanic Language and Literatures from Boston University, followed by a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Connecticut, a clinical internship at the counseling center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the counseling center at Temple University. She is passionate about contributing to the linguistic and cultural inclusivity of the mental health field, and about using psychotherapy as a platform through which to advance social justice. As a clinician, she helps individuals to understand themselves and their relationships, to learn adaptive ways to engage with their thoughts and feelings, and to make healthful changes. Dr. Moss-Racusin loves working with university students on the range of life issues they may be facing, including psychological distress; trauma; identity development; discrimination; familial, peer, and romantic relationships; alcohol and substance use; academic and occupational decisions and pressures; and growing independence.
Kayla Reid, LCSW
*Please note that Kayla is currently on parental leave and will be returning in the spring.
Kayla Reid (kayla.reid@yale.edu), LCSW completed her Bachelors degree in Social Work at Central Connecticut State University followed by a Masters in Social Work at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Work. Kayla is a New Haven native and familiar with the culture of the neighborhoods and communities surrounding Yale. Kayla’s background is in therapy with adolescents, families and young adults. Her clinical expertise includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and integrative approaches to overall health and wellness. Kayla is passionate about working with diverse populations and specializes in culturally appropriate and evidence-based practice strategies to effectively engage with individuals at their respective stages of identity development, life circumstances, or cultural, economic and religious backgrounds. Kayla is dedicated to providing a safe, non-judgmental, therapeutic space for all individuals and looks forward to working with students to cultivate growth, wellness and healing.
Please note that Kayla is currently on parental leave and will be returning in the spring. If you need anything please email either community.wellness.specialists@yale.edu or college.care.clinicians@yale.edu
Nicole Cepeda, LCSW, Clinical Programming
*Please note that Nicole is currently on parental leave and will be returning in the spring.
Nicole Cepeda (nicole.cepeda@yale.edu), LCSW is a bi-cultural/bilingual Clinical Social Worker and native New Yorker, now residing in Connecticut. Nicole is dedicated to providing a safe, non-judgmental, therapeutic space for all individuals. Nicole’s background is in therapy with children, adolescents, and young adults. Her clinical approach is focused on helping people understand the effects of trauma and the healing journey, specifically gender-based and intergenerational trauma. Nicole’s sessions are student-centered, culturally-informed, and appreciative of the vulnerability and courage present in the room. Lastly, Nicole enjoys testing her strength through Powerlifting and always starts her day with a cup of Bustelo.
In addition to being a CCC, Nicole Cepeda supports Clinical Programming. Nicole provides oversight and implementation for clinical related programming. She works closely with YMHC in the development of group therapy offerings and supports YC3’s liaison campus partnerships.
Please note that Nicole is currently on parental leave and will be returning in the spring. If you need anything please email either community.wellness.specialists@yale.edu or college.care.clinicians@yale.edu
Need urgent support? To speak to an on-call clinician 24/7 (including after-hours and weekends) call this number: 203-432-0290
