California Lutheran University is strengthening its approach to student-athlete mental health after coaches and athletics administrators completed NCAA-sponsored Mental Health First Aid training. The initiative, held on August 10, 2026, and publicly announced on October 10, reflects growing efforts across college athletics to help staff recognize mental health concerns, respond appropriately, and connect students with qualified professional support.
The training took place at California Lutheran University, an NCAA Division III institution in Thousand Oaks, California. It was led by Katie Bell, associate athletic director and senior woman administrator, and brought together coaches and athletics personnel for education on mental health and substance use challenges.
According to California Lutheran University’s October 10 announcement, the department wanted to improve staff members’ ability to recognize potential difficulties while fostering an environment where student-athletes feel comfortable asking for help. California Lutheran University
The initiative is particularly relevant because college coaches frequently interact with students during practices, competitions, travel, and other activities. They may notice changes in behavior or hear about personal difficulties before an athlete approaches a campus counselor.
However, Mental Health First Aid does not qualify coaches to diagnose psychological conditions or provide clinical treatment. Its purpose is to help nonclinical personnel recognize possible concerns, offer initial support, and facilitate access to appropriate services.
California Lutheran’s announcement provides an example of how universities can connect athletics leadership with broader campus mental health resources without confusing coaching responsibilities with professional healthcare.
California Lutheran Athletics Completes NCAA-Sponsored Training In Thousand Oaks
California Lutheran Athletics announced the completion of its Mental Health First Aid program on October 10, 2026, approximately two months after the August 10 training session.
The distinction between the training date and the announcement date is important. The university reported a completed educational activity rather than the launch of a new clinical mental health service.
Katie Bell led the department’s participation in the program, which was sponsored by the NCAA and delivered through its partnership with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
The training brought coaches and administrators together to learn how to recognize, understand, and respond to possible mental health and substance use concerns.
Bell explained that athletics staff are accustomed to addressing physical health, but they also need to understand how mental well-being can affect student-athletes.
Her comments emphasized the value of practical experience and greater confidence when responding to students who may need assistance.
The university did not publish an exact number of staff participants, a department-wide mental health screening result, or clinical outcome data associated with the training.
Those details should not be assumed.
What the announcement establishes is that California Lutheran Athletics completed an NCAA-supported educational program intended to strengthen staff awareness and improve connections to existing support resources.
The institution’s approach also reflects an important difference between recognizing a potential concern and determining its cause.
A coach may observe that a student has become withdrawn, missed practices, or expressed difficulty managing responsibilities. Such observations can justify a supportive conversation, but they do not establish a diagnosis.
What Mental Health First Aid Teaches College Coaches And Athletics Staff
Mental Health First Aid, commonly abbreviated as MHFA, is a structured educational program that teaches adults how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of possible mental health or substance use challenges.
The NCAA’s version is called Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education.
It is designed for people who interact regularly with college students, including coaches, athletic trainers, and athletics administrators.
The NCAA Mental Health First Aid program describes a 7.5-hour instructor-led course covering common warning signs, supportive communication, crisis response, referral to professional services, and personal self-care. The Official Website of the NCAA
The course uses a five-step action framework known as ALGEE.
| Mental Health First Aid Step | Purpose In An Athletics Setting |
|---|---|
| A — Approach and assess | Recognize possible concerns, approach respectfully, and assess whether immediate safety assistance is needed |
| L — Listen nonjudgmentally | Give a student space to explain their experience without criticism or assumptions |
| G — Give reassurance and information | Respond supportively and share appropriate, reliable information |
| E — Encourage professional help | Help the student identify qualified campus or community mental health services |
| E — Encourage self-help and other support strategies | Recognize appropriate personal, family, peer, and community support alongside professional care |
The framework is intended to guide initial supportive responses, not to replace clinical evaluation.
For example, a coach who notices a concerning change in a student’s behavior can initiate a private, respectful conversation and explain available resources.
The coach should avoid making assumptions about a particular mental health condition, promising absolute confidentiality, or attempting to provide therapy.
When immediate safety concerns arise, the appropriate response is to follow institutional emergency procedures and seek qualified assistance.
The program also teaches participants to consider their own well-being, recognizing that supporting students through difficult experiences can create responsibilities and emotional demands for athletics staff.
Katie Bell Emphasizes The Importance Of Mental Health Education
Katie Bell’s leadership connects the training initiative with California Lutheran’s broader responsibilities for student-athlete development.
Bell joined Cal Lutheran as associate athletic director and senior woman administrator in July 2025 after working at St. Joseph’s University–Brooklyn and Chapman University.
Her professional background includes athletics administration, compliance, student-athlete services, and advising student-athlete leadership groups.
She also competed in women’s soccer at Chapman University.
According to her official California Lutheran staff profile, Bell previously supported student-athlete development and life-skills programming, experience relevant to the responsibilities involved in coordinating athletics education. California Lutheran University
The October announcement positioned mental health literacy as an additional responsibility for people already involved in student-athlete support.
This matters because athletics departments often contain several overlapping relationships.
Coaches manage training and competition. Athletic trainers address sports-related healthcare needs within their professional scope. Administrators coordinate policies, resources, and student services.
Mental Health First Aid can help these professionals understand when a student may need additional support and how to direct that student toward appropriate services.
It does not make these roles interchangeable.
A coach who completes the course remains a coach, not a licensed mental health clinician.
Similarly, an administrator’s completion of training does not establish that the university has increased its counseling capacity or reduced waiting times for appointments.
The educational value lies in improving recognition, communication, and referral awareness.
Elizabeth Brooks Connects Athlete Mental Health With Personal Experience
California Lutheran Interim Associate Vice President and Athletic Director Elizabeth Brooks also contributed to the university’s October announcement.
Brooks described experiencing grief, depression, and anxiety after the unexpected death of her mother before her freshman year at Cal Lutheran.
She recalled receiving understanding from her coaches, teammates, and family during a difficult period.
Her account illustrates how athletic relationships can influence whether students feel comfortable acknowledging personal challenges.
Brooks also discussed receiving professional therapy and encouraged students to use campus resources, including Counseling and Psychological Services and Spiritual Care.
Her experience is an individual account, not evidence that any particular treatment will produce the same outcome for another person.
It nevertheless highlights a distinction that matters in athletics: supportive relationships and professional mental health services can serve complementary purposes.
Coaches and teammates may offer encouragement, flexibility, and a sense of connection.
Qualified mental health professionals provide assessment and treatment when those services are needed.
The National Institute of Mental Health’s guidance on caring for mental health explains when people should consider seeking professional assistance, particularly when symptoms persist or interfere with daily functioning.
For student-athletes, access to support can become especially important when personal difficulties coincide with academic deadlines, training demands, injuries, or major life changes.
Brooks’ willingness to discuss her experience may help normalize conversations within the athletics department, but personal disclosure should always remain voluntary.
Student-athletes should not feel required to reveal sensitive medical information to coaches or teammates to receive appropriate support.
Volleyball Coach Kellee Roesel Encourages Athletes To Seek Professional Support
California Lutheran head women’s volleyball coach Kellee Roesel also discussed the importance of mental health in the university’s announcement.
Roesel emphasized that emotional well-being deserves attention alongside physical health.
She drew a comparison between seeking assistance for physical injuries and recognizing when professional mental health support may be appropriate.
The comparison is relevant to college athletics because student-athletes are often familiar with consulting athletic trainers, physicians, and rehabilitation specialists.
Mental health concerns may be less visible, and some students may hesitate to raise them because of perceived stigma, privacy concerns, or uncertainty about how coaches will respond.
Roesel also shared her experience of seeking therapy following the death of her husband in 2017.
Her public account reflects an effort to encourage students to view professional mental health care as a legitimate form of support.
However, the practical implications extend beyond individual stories.
Athletics departments need procedures that help coaches respond appropriately when students disclose personal difficulties.
These procedures should address confidentiality, professional boundaries, available services, and circumstances requiring urgent intervention.
Coaches can help create environments where seeking assistance is accepted, but they should not pressure students to discuss sensitive experiences publicly.
A student’s decision to pursue counseling should also be treated separately from assumptions about athletic commitment, playing ability, or competitive motivation.
NCAA Division III Expands Mental Health First Aid Training Across Colleges
California Lutheran’s training forms part of a broader NCAA initiative to improve mental health literacy among athletics personnel.
In August 2025, NCAA Division III announced a partnership with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing to offer fully funded Mental Health First Aid training to participating institutions.
The program prioritizes head coaches and athletic trainers, although other eligible athletics staff can participate.
The NCAA established the initiative to help institutions recognize possible mental health challenges, improve supportive responses, and reduce stigma around seeking assistance.
According to the NCAA’s Division III training announcement, the program runs through August 1, 2027. The Official Website of the NCAA
The current NCAA program provides several defined training opportunities.
| NCAA Program Detail | Official Information |
|---|---|
| Participating divisions | NCAA Division II and Division III |
| Training partner | National Council for Mental Wellbeing |
| Eligible participants | Up to 30 athletics staff members per institution |
| Course length | 7.5 hours |
| Certification | Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education |
| Certification duration | Three years |
The NCAA expanded the funded training opportunity to Division II in August 2026, with a formal announcement on September 3.
The association has identified the program as one way to support implementation of its broader student-athlete mental health guidance.
Importantly, these figures describe the NCAA’s general program structure. California Lutheran did not disclose how many people completed its specific August 10 session.
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s NCAA program information confirms that eligible Division II and III institutions can apply for funded training. mentalhealthfirstaid.org
The national expansion shows growing institutional attention to mental health education, but participation in a training program should not be interpreted as proof that an institution has resolved all barriers to mental healthcare.
Why College Coaches Need Mental Health Awareness Training
College student-athletes navigate overlapping responsibilities that may include academics, competition, travel, relationships, finances, and planning for life after graduation.
These experiences vary considerably among students.
Some athletes may find participation in sports supportive and rewarding, while others may experience periods of pressure or difficulty.
Coaches frequently interact with student-athletes over extended periods, making them important participants in the campus support environment.
The NCAA’s 2022 Coach Well-Being Study found that more than 80% of surveyed coaches reported spending more time discussing mental health with student-athletes than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The association also identified supporting student-athlete mental health as a major issue facing coaching staffs.
These findings are discussed in the NCAA Mental Health First Aid program overview. The Official Website of the NCAA
They help explain why structured education may be useful.
Coaches may be asked to respond to concerns involving stress, emotional difficulties, or substance use without having received formal training in supportive communication or referral procedures.
Mental Health First Aid provides a framework for responding within appropriate professional boundaries.
Nevertheless, the program cannot eliminate every challenge associated with athlete mental health.
A student may need specialized clinical services, ongoing treatment, academic accommodations, or support beyond the athletics department.
Coaches must therefore understand not only how to recognize possible concerns but also when to involve appropriately qualified professionals.
Training Must Be Supported By Confidentiality And Access To Care
An important question for California Lutheran and other universities is what happens after an athlete decides to seek assistance.
Mental health awareness is valuable, but students also need accessible and trustworthy support systems.
An effective institutional approach should make it clear how student-athletes can contact counseling services, what information may remain private, and how staff respond to urgent concerns.
Confidentiality deserves particular attention because coaches may have influence over playing time, team participation, or other athletic decisions.
Students should understand the difference between speaking with a coach and consulting a licensed mental health professional.
The privacy protections and reporting obligations associated with these relationships may differ.
Athletics personnel should avoid promising confidentiality beyond what their institutional policies and legal responsibilities allow.
The NCAA’s Mental Health Best Practices provide a broader framework for supporting student-athletes through institutional procedures, qualified care, education, and appropriate coordination. The Official Website of the NCAA
Mental Health First Aid training can contribute to this framework, but it is only one component.
A university should also consider whether students know how to obtain appointments, whether referral processes are clear, and whether athletes can seek support without inappropriate pressure to disclose personal medical information.
California Lutheran’s October announcement identifies existing campus resources and emphasizes encouraging students to use them.
It does not provide new data about counseling capacity, appointment availability, or changes in student mental health outcomes.
Those questions remain important for assessing the practical impact of the initiative.
What Other College Athletics Departments Can Learn From California Lutheran
California Lutheran’s experience offers a useful example for smaller universities and NCAA Division III athletics departments.
The institution brought coaches and administrators into the same educational program rather than treating mental health awareness as a responsibility belonging exclusively to counseling personnel.
This approach may help establish more consistent expectations across athletic programs.
A basketball coach, volleyball coach, athletic trainer, and administrator may encounter different situations, but all can benefit from understanding how to respond respectfully and direct students toward appropriate services.
The training also emphasizes that supportive communication is a skill that can be developed.
Adults working with athletes should be able to listen without immediately dismissing concerns, assigning blame, or assuming that a student’s difficulties reflect poor motivation.
At the same time, completing Mental Health First Aid should not become a substitute for investing in qualified mental health professionals.
Universities considering similar initiatives can evaluate whether staff training is accompanied by accessible services, clearly defined responsibilities, and procedures for responding to urgent concerns.
They can also consider how students themselves experience the support environment.
For example, confidential feedback may help institutions understand whether athletes know where to seek assistance and whether they feel comfortable approaching appropriate staff.
Such evaluation would provide more meaningful information than training completion alone.
What Student-Athletes Should Understand About Mental Health First Aid
For student-athletes at California Lutheran and other universities, the expansion of Mental Health First Aid training represents an effort to make athletics personnel better prepared to respond to concerns.
It does not mean every coach is qualified to provide mental health treatment.
Students experiencing emotional difficulties may benefit from speaking with a trusted adult, but they should also know how to access qualified professionals when appropriate.
Mental health challenges can arise for many reasons and should not automatically be attributed to competitive pressure, academic responsibilities, or participation in sports.
Persistent changes in mood, behavior, sleep, or daily functioning may warrant professional evaluation.
Students should not feel obligated to disclose personal medical histories to teammates or coaching staff.
If a student is concerned about privacy, a campus counseling service or qualified healthcare professional can explain applicable confidentiality protections and their limits.
In the United States, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides crisis support. Immediate life-threatening emergencies require emergency services.
The purpose of Mental Health First Aid is to help people recognize when support may be needed and respond appropriately—not to shift responsibility for clinical care onto coaches or student-athletes themselves.
California Lutheran’s Next Challenge Is Turning Training Into Everyday Support
California Lutheran University’s October 10 announcement documents a concrete step toward improving mental health awareness within its athletics department.
The August 10 training brought coaches and administrators together through an NCAA-sponsored program led locally by Katie Bell.
Elizabeth Brooks and Kellee Roesel also contributed personal perspectives emphasizing the importance of supportive relationships and access to professional care.
Together, their accounts illustrate how athletics leadership can encourage conversations about mental well-being while recognizing the limits of nonclinical support.
The broader NCAA initiative provides a structured opportunity for Division II and Division III institutions to develop similar skills.
However, the long-term value of the training will depend on how consistently athletics departments apply those skills, maintain professional boundaries, and connect students with appropriate services.
California Lutheran has not reported clinical outcome data demonstrating improvements following the training. Future evaluation could help establish whether students experience clearer referral pathways, greater confidence in seeking assistance, or better access to appropriate care.
For college athletics, the central lesson is that supporting student-athlete mental health requires more than recognizing its importance.
It involves preparing the adults who interact with athletes, establishing trustworthy procedures, and ensuring that professional mental health care remains accessible when students need it.
