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Health Education
Our Health Educators collaborate with the Cal Poly community to develop strategies that improve health knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviors. Our purpose is to positively advance community health by leading wellness promotion efforts via outreach campaigns, evidence-based prevention programs and advocacy for policies that promote lasting wellness.
Our Programs
Health Education
General Health Outreach Prevention Education
Professional Presentation Requests
Faculty, staff, and the campus community can request an educational presentation by one of Health Educators. Submit a presentation request by filling out the Presentation Request Form. Your completed form will be sent to the wellbeing services email at wellbeing@calpoly.edu.
PULSE
Who We Are
Our mission
Peers Understanding, Listening, Supporting, Educating (PULSE) is a collaborative effort among student-led teams that each serve an active role in seeking to achieve a balanced, thriving campus at Cal Poly. We strive to promote healthy lifestyle management through an intersectional lens by empowering students with knowledge, skills, and resources to achieve holistic well-being for themselves and their community. Our primary goal is to develop programming that is fun, safe, supportive, interactive, and educational that reaches the entire campus community regardless of background or identity.
Collaborate with Us
Faculty, staff, and the campus community can request an educational presentation by one of our peer-led teams during the academic school year.
Submit a presentation request by filling out the Presentation Request Form.
You are also welcome to call, email, or stop by our office within the lower level of the Health Center (27-10) with any questions.
Join Us
Students who are passionate about the well-being of their campus community are welcomed to join PULSE. Professional Health Education staff train volunteers as Peer Health Educators that promote healthy behaviors and wellness among all members of the Cal Poly community. This hands-on experience provides an opportunity to explore sectors of Public Health, gain knowledge on current behavioral health trends, enhance interpersonal and leadership skills, develop competencies for creating, implementing, and evaluating programs, and learn effective marketing strategies. PULSE programs consist of wellness workshops, presentations, peer support sessions, and educational outreach to the Cal Poly campus.
PULSE EXPECTATIONS
All undergraduate Cal Poly students are welcome to apply. Applicants must commit to at least a quarter and have taken the CPE certification (training provided). Additional training and support may be required via Canvas. A minimum GPA of 2.50 is required throughout your tenure with PULSE.
Questions about getting involved? Email our Health Education Specialist!
Alcohol & Drug Education and Support
Individual Support
Pro Staff
Schedule a meeting with professional staff
Professional Staff and Graduate level students are available for 1:1 consultations about drug & alcohol use. If you are concerned for yourself, or for a friend or family member schedule a meeting today.
Recovery Support
Recovery Support
Schedule a 1:1 presentation with the advisor for Mustangs for Recovery for additional recovery support or to get connected with the M4R community.
Presentations
Party 101 - Safer Partying
We approach this presentation from a harm-reduction lens. While we know that many students choose not to use or are in recovery, we want all of our students to have the tools they need to stay safer if they ingest alcohol or drugs. We discuss the dangers of binge drinking as well as ways to help each other stay safer.
Cannabis
Cannabis can be a confusing topic on campus. It is legal in California and illegal on campus (and federally). The result can be a confusing jumble of fact and fiction. This presentation seeks to debunk some of the myths as well as offer tools to stay safer should students use.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a unique beast in our culture. Many of our students view it as a right of passage and just part of being in college. This presentation focuses on normalizing non-drinkers and moderate drinkers, and seeks to educate students about alcohol as a drug and encouraging mindful use.
Nicotine
The rise in nicotine use by virtue of vaping is seen nationally as well as on our campus. What was originally marketed as a way to quit smoking has now become the delivery method of choice for students. This presentation offers facts about nicotine as well as support for nicotine cessation.
Substances and Mental Health
Students often will reach for substances as coping mechanism or as a “self-treatment” for mental health challenges. This presentation focuses on alternative methods for self-care as well as offering an understanding of how substance can effect mental health.
Talking to a Friend—Substance Use & Mental Health Concerns
Students often notice when their friends are struggling but are unsure of how to broach the topic. Yet 70% of students state that when they need help, they reach out to a friend first. This training offers practical tips for recognizing an issue and the importance of asking about it.
Substance use vs. Substance misuse
There are many misperceptions about use in college—particularly how much is too much. This training helps students recognize where those lines are for themselves, and when it may be an issue for their friends.
Overdose Prevention & Narcan Distribution
The inclusion of fentanyl into much of the illegally obtained drug supply has created a new danger for those who use drugs. Even people who do not normally use opioids may be exposed to this deadly substance. Narcan is a safe and effective drug that can reverse opioid overdoses. We can present to your club, organization, or group on overdose prevention and distribute Narcan to your community.
Request a Presentation
We have a variety of presentations available for classes, clubs, organizations, and other groups. We offer the ability to tailor our presentations to the specific needs of your group. Fill out our Presentation Request Form with any necessary details.
Overdose Prevention Efforts
Narcan Training & Distribution
Opioid overdose has risen dramatically both nationally and here locally in San Luis Obispo. Fentanyl, an incredibly powerful opioid, is being cut into much of the illegally purchased drug supply. Narcan is a safe and effective drug to help reverse opioid overdose and is available through multiple CHW services.
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Health Center Pharmacy without a prescription
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Schedule an Overdose Prevention presentation & Narcan distribution for your club or organization
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Email wellbeing@calpoly.edu for training and distribution.
Mustangs for Recovery
Who we are
At Mustangs for Recovery, we honor recovery from substance and behavioral addictions as both a noun and as a verb. It is both a return to wellness and a process of healing. We exist to offer a safe and sober-friendly environment for students in recovery, seeking recovery, or those affected by the addiction of a friend or family member.
What we do
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Meetings
Our purpose is to offer alternatives, support, community, and events geared toward students in recovery. We offer meetings based in both abstinence-only and harm-reduction models.
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Peer Support
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Social Events
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Davis Henegar Memorial Grant
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Overdose Prevention Education & Narcan Distribution
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Recovery Ally Training—coming soon!
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Anonymous Drug & Alcohol Self-Assessments
ScreenU:
Short, completely anonymous surveys to check-in about your alcohol, cannabis, or prescription drug use. These surveys take 5-7 minutes and can be accessed on any mobile device and will give you feedback on your current levels of use. To discuss your results or meet with someone about your substance use, contact kvinther@calpoly.edu.
Educational Resources
Parent Handbook
If you suspect or know that you have been drugged without consent
What do I do if I think I've been drugged?
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If you notice yourself becoming unusually intoxicated…
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This can be a scary, confusing and disorienting experience, especially if you have unknowingly ingested a substance. Immediately find a person you feel safe with, tell them what is going on, and stay with them. Tell the party host, event security or other authority.
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Consider seeking medical care if you feel unwell, hurt, concerned you’ve been sexually assaulted, or want to get drug tested before the drug is out of your system. Many drugs used to facilitate incapacitation or assault dissipate quickly and so may not be detected unless testing is done within a matter of hours. If you’re no longer feeling the symptoms, drug tests will not detect or be definitive.
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Capture your own urine sample, keep it covered and bring with you to increase likelihood of any drug being detectable.
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A note about drug tests after a suspected drugging:
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While these tests are primarily used for forensic or criminal reporting purposes, we also recognize that they can provide you with peace of mind or validation about your experience. If you capture your own sample and have it tested, it’s unlikely that the results can be used in a criminal complaint. The price of these kinds of tests vary. Depending on where you seek care, there may be bill assistance available.
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If you would like to file a report
If it’s determined that a potential crime has been committed, police can order a toxicology screen for you, which will be provided free of charge.
If it involved sexual assault or you suspect it did
You can contact Safer or Lumina Alliance to learn more about options, rights, and resources. It is always the victim’s/survivor’s decision to pursue any of the available resources or to report an incident to the police or the university.
If you are a victim/witness/aware of a crime
You can call the non-emergency number for Cal Poly Police Department (805-756-2281) or SLO PD (805-781-7317) and tell them you'd like to file a police report. You can also call with a general question or concern and the on-duty Sergeant can help.
Dance Safe.org: https://dancesafe.org/
National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: https://www.samhsa.gov/
Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities policies & protocols: https://osrr.calpoly.edu/
Residential Life Policies & protocols: http://www.housing.calpoly.edu/content/university-housing-policies
With Us, Aware Awake Alive: https://www.withus.org/aaa-week-toolbox
How to get in touch with us
Gender- and Power-based Violence Prevention Education
Professional Health Education for campus incidents of GPBV
Interested in speaking with a health educator about GPBV? Schedule a 1:1 meeting today with one of our professional Health Educators.
Make an appointment with a Health Educator!
General Health Outreach Prevention Education
Professional Presentation Requests
Faculty, staff, and the campus community can request an educational presentation by one of Health Educators. Submit a presentation request by filling out the Presentation Request Form. Your completed form will be sent to the wellbeing services email at wellbeing@calpoly.edu.
Peer Leadership Development
Campus Health & Wellbeing’s Peer Wellness Program provides invaluable learn by doing experience and professional leadership development to Cal Poly students.
Professional Health Educators serve as advisors and mentors, training peers to become NASPA Certified Peer Educators. For more information about our Peer Wellness Programs visit our website. Interested in having one of our Health Educators facilitate this training? Contact Us!
Strategic Initiatives
- Cal Poly’s Basics Needs Programs and Initiatives
- Cal Poly Smoke & Tobacco Free Policy
- COVID-19 Communications & Outreach
