For nearly 75 years, the Mental Wellness Center has been building hope for individuals and families, providing support in recovery and raising awareness of mental health within the Santa Barbara community.
The Mental Wellness Center provides mental health education to local students, a residential services program which safely provides a home to more than 100 community members across seven residential sites, and serves individuals & families impacted by mental illness through support groups, employment services and social connection programs like the Fellowship Club, an on-site social day club and safe space with resources for those living with mental health challenges.
SPOT (Support for Parents of Teens - Mothers Group) - SPOT is a safe space for moms of teens and young adults to connect with other moms who might also be struggling in parenting a child with mental health challenges. Members of this group listen, support and gain perspective. Facilitated discussion on emotional intelligence, coping strategies, and mindfulness is all incorporated during group meetings. SPOT currently meets via Zoom on Mondays at 10AM (Spanish Group), Tuesdays at 12PM and Wednesdays at 6:30PM (for Moms and Dads). For more information contact MWC Family Advocate Ramona Winner at: rwinner@mentalwellnesscenter.org, 805-884-8440 ext. 3206.
Family-to-Family - The Mental Wellness Center is pleased to offer our community a dedicated Family Advocate who is trained with familiar issues faced by families impacted by mental health disorders. The Family Advocate assists families who are trying to understand and deal with the impact of serious mental health disorders in their family and provides assistance in understanding and navigating the local public and private mental health systems. The Family Advocate also works with and supports NAMI Santa Barbara County. For more information contact MWC Family Advocate Ramona Winner at: rwinner@mentalwellnesscenter.org, 805-884-8440 ext. 3206.
Grupo de Apoyo Para Mamas - A new Spanish support group available Monday evenings in Isla Vista at St. George Youth Center and Thursday mornings in Santa Barbara at St. George Community Church. These two new groups are face to face and limited to only 9 people for safe social distancing. For more information contact Mental Wellness Center Facilitator Isis Castañeda at: 805-448-0920.
Mental Health Matters is designed to introduce basic facts about mental health to elementary, middle and high school students in the classroom. The course addresses three foci: 1- signs and symptoms of major mental health disorders, 2- stigma and how it affects our perceptions of mental illness and 3- wellness activities and practices. The underlying premise of Mental Health Matters is that with understanding, youth will know to seek help should they or someone they know experience symptoms of a possible mental health disorder, knowing that early treatment tends to lead to better outcomes. This program is well established in the Buellton, Carpinteria, Cold Spring, Hope, Goleta Union, and Santa Barbara Unified School Districts as well as in several local private schools. For more information on Mental Health Matters visit: mhmyouth.org.
The Wellness Connection Council is a high school leadership program of the Mental Wellness Center that educates, empowers, and engages students. Students raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental health by promoting self-care, connection, kindness, education, prevention, and outreach amongst their peers. For more information contact MWC Education Dept. Manager & Wellness Connection Council Lead Facilitator Alexis Malatesta at: support@wcclubs.org.
Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) - Through a grant, the Mental Wellness Center, Family Service Agency, and YouthWell Coalition are able to provide more community education around mental health. YMHFA is a comprehensive, online training that teaches educators, family members, and caregivers (18+ years old) to approach, assess, and assist a young person with a mental health challenge or substance use concern. YMHFA is an evidence-based curriculum that teaches participants how to recognize and respond to signs and symptoms while addressing the role of resilience and the impact of traumatic experiences on adolescent development. Just as CPR or First Aid helps you assist an individual in a medical crisis by following specific steps, YMHFA helps you assist a young person experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis using specific steps until appropriate help is received or until the crisis is resolved. For more information visit: bethedifferencesb.org.
A full listing of our programs and services, including additional adult resources, are available on our website.