The spring semester has begun, and for some, it may be overwhelming and stressful. If you have some new or lingering feelings of anxiety or sadness, the new year might be the perfect time to start reaching out for help. Fortunately, free mental health services are available to all UH students on all campuses. Here are a few of them at our Leeward Oahu colleges:
Services available at Leeward Community College
LCC offers students private and confidential mental health services via online or face to face Monday to Friday. If a student needs to talk about their mental health, they can contact Lori Lum who is a licensed mental health professional. Her phone number is 808-455-0652 and you can also schedule an appointment with her through your STAR Balance.
A clinical therapist is available to veterans through the Veterans in Transition to Academic Leadership (VITAL) program. This program is part of the on-campus face of the Veterans Affairs office to address the unique needs of Veterans in college. They are meant to help student veterans with “PTSD or other concerns, including relationship problems, academic functioning, or general adjustment to civilian life.” You can email Dr. Eunice Yap eunice.yap@va.gov to schedule and appointment .
Services available at UH West Oahu
At UH West Oahu, free and confidential counseling is available to students. The service is administered by trained mental health professionals. The services available include individual therapy, group therapy, couples counseling, and psychological assessment. Walk-in appointments are welcome and your participation is completely voluntary.
To schedule an appointment, email uhwotalk@hawaii.edu. Appointment availability depends on the volume and service needs. For new clients, please email uhwotalk@hawaii.edu only if there are less than 2 available appointment times to choose from during the week. They are open Monday to Friday from 7:45 am to 4:30 pm. You can also call them to schedule an appointment and their number is 808-689-2661. You can also visit them in room B216 if you need more information.
Services available for all
All UH campuses also provide students with a confidential advocate service. The role of a confidential advocate is providing case management for people who have experienced any form of discrimination or violence based on their sex or gender. To get in touch with an advocate, you can contact them by calling (808) 348-0432 or emailing advocate@hawaii.edu.
Lastly, there is a service called Ku Makani – The Hawaii resiliency project available to all Hawaii residents. This is a crisis counseling program focused on recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by promoting healthy coping, empowerment, and resilience. This service is available to people of all ages and various languages. There are counselours that speak Ilokano, Spanish, Hawaiian, Tongan, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Japanese, Palauan, and Samoan. Ku Makani works with CARE Hawaii, a center for substance use, mental health and crisis intervention. To get in contact with them, call Hawaii CARES at 1-800-753-6879 and select option #1. They are open Monday to Friday and on state holidays from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m and from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
There are many other mental health and crisis resources available 24/7 to help you or a loved one. Here are some local and national organizations and their contact information:
Hawaii СARES: call 808-832-3100 or 800-753-6879 (toll free)
Crisis Text Line: text ALOHA to 741741
Sex Abuse Treatment Center Hawaii: 808-524-7273
Disaster Distress Helpline: 800-985-5990
Trevor Project (for LGBTQ youth): 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678678
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 (new 3-digit dial code)
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