Slug Support UCSC

College can be a challenging time for students, and it is not always easy to find the help you need during these stressful situations. Access to affordable and healthy food, stable housing, and comprehensive mental health resources should not be an additional stressor. Slug Support is located in the Dean of Students office and is part of the Basic Needs Village at UCSC. The program was created to help ensure all students have their basic needs met and help them navigate challenging circumstances by providing resources, information, connecting to on-campus departments and off-campus resources

How Slug Support helps students:
*Collaborate with campus partners such as Counseling and Psychological Services, Financial Aid, the Disability Resource Center, Academic Advising, Housing, and others to ensure coordinated care
*Help students access the most appropriate campus and community resources to address their specific concerns
*Provide emergency financial support for essential needs like rent and food (in the form of emergency grants, meal swipes, or grocery gift cards)
*Provide emergency housing when needed
*Follow up with students to encourage continued use of available resources and, when appropriate, share significant updates with the original referring party

MSW Interns will work with students directly as a small case load of their own (after onboarding, shadowing, etc.) and will meet with students in the same capacity as a professional Slug Support Case Manager would.