UC Santa Barbara’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has named Veronica Franco of the Gevirtz School as its new Graduate Mental Health Peer. Franco will be working with the Mental Health Peer Program to assist graduate students on issues related to mental health and wellness.
The Mental Health Peer Program (MHP) is a student peer program under the CAPS at UCSB. Mental Health Peers serve as a liaison between CAPS and the UCSB campus community. The overall mission of MHP is to help the student body achieve academic, social and personal success by providing direct services to students (e.g., relaxation areas, School Anxiety Program sessions, peer-to-peer counseling).
Franco is a doctoral student with a Counseling Psychology emphasis working with Dr. Melissa Morgan Consoli in the Department of Counseling, Clinical and School Psychology. She is originally from the Los Angeles area and received her B.A. in Sociology and Education from UC Irvine. After obtaining her B.A., she received her Master of Science degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018. Veronica’s research interests include Latinx persistence patterns and experiences in higher education, Latinx protective factors, and communities of color resilience, validation, well-being, and coping styles. Her clinical interests are in bilingual psychotherapy, culturally relevant services, and multicultural psychology with a social justice lens.
“As a graduate student, I understand the multiple roles students navigate and the responsibility that comes with being a graduate student,” Franco told UCSB Gradpost. “I am honored to serve as the graduate mental health peer and serve as an advocate and liaison for graduate students between CAPS and the UCSB campus community. I look forward to supporting students and creating programming and outreach around mental health and wellness.”
The mission of CAPS is to assist Student Affairs and the University in helping the student body achieve academically, socially, and personally through culturally responsive mental health services. CAPS is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and affirming environment to ensure that all students remain psychologically healthy in pursuit of their goals.