Community Partners & Resources
Learn about our partners and other local resources in Santa Barbara that are dedicated to social justice and advocacy.
“We do this WORK for the LOVE of Black People.“
Healing Justice Santa Barbara (HJSB) aspires to uplift all Black/African-Americans to affirm that they are deserving of safety, love, equity, respect, and joy. In keeping with the principles of a healing justice framework, we demand that self-care be reimagined as collective investment in community care that empowers ALL Black people, including LGBTQ+ , people with disabilities, undocumented, underserved, and those who speak in African American Vernacular English. We do this through creating spaces for community meetings, cultural resource centers, public safety with SBPD Civilian Review Boards, youth support, SB Black history and landmarks, and local arts & events.
“Putting EMPATHY into ACTION, to create meaningful CHANGE.“
The Santa Barbara Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in Santa Barbara County for all who live, work, play and visit here. Working in partnership with individuals, community organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and government, we strive to address our communities’ most challenging needs. Recognizing that our work depends on the strength of the nonprofit sector, we are committed to its health and vitality. Nearly every Santa Barbara County nonprofit organization and essential community project has been supported by the Foundation during its 93-year history. The Foundation connects those who give with those in need – and all who dream of stronger communities.
“To STRENGTHEN the COMMUNITIES of Santa Barbara County.“
We seek to strengthen the communities of Santa Barbara County by partnering with local nonprofits through grantmaking. Since its founding, The Towbes Foundation has granted over 20 million dollars to more than 400 organizations on the Central Coast. While The Towbes Foundation traditionally supported a broad array of nonprofits, we now have a particular focus on education and mental health, targeting educational programs focused on early childhood, K-12th grade, and the transition to college, as well as behavioral health and wellness programs focused on children, youth, families, and adults.
UCSB Campus Resources
Connect with Black organizations and resources on campus that are focused on representation and student support.
Center for Black Studies Research at UCSB
CBSR aims to support interdisciplinary research on the social, political, historical, cultural, and economic experiences of communities throughout the African Diaspora, while also to supporting several levels of university–community engagement. This includes creating dialogues within our field and within the university on critical issues confronting our society, and hosting educational enrichment program for Black youth in Santa Barbara, and cosponsoring cultural activities both in the Santa Barbara community and on campus.
Office of Black Student Development
Through the development of innovative and sustainable programs and services aimed to increase the recruitment, retention, academic achievement, holistic support, and self-advocacy of our Black community, OBSD addresses the needs of the Black student community and holds ourselves and the university responsible to meet those needs. We strive to engage, develop, and activate these experiences to promote an inclusive campus experience that fosters a sense of belonging and leaders of social change.
African Diaspora Cultural Resource Center
The AdCRC is an environment for students, staff, faculty and community members to develop an understanding of and appreciation for their African diasporic cultural identities. AdCRC staff strives to create and maintain a welcoming atmosphere for all to acquire knowledge in relation to the diversity of cultures within the African diaspora, and to assist in the holistic development of students of the African diaspora by focusing on several areas: academic excellence, cultural awareness, leadership development, social involvement, and proactive civic engagement.
Black Graduate Student Association
The BGSA provides social resources and academic support to meet the needs of Black graduate students through social, academic, and advocacy events. We are committed to mentorship, research, and service while also focusing on an inclusive environment where all students at UCSB can thrive. We are here to advocate in support of individual students and the Black community as a whole, and to highlight the different kinds of research Black students are doing here at UCSB.
The Black Student Union exists to serve and unify the students of the African diaspora at the University of California, Santa Barbara, by addressing their needs. BSU seeks to identify relevant issues and initiate appropriate action in order to reduce or eliminate any impediments believed to be adverse to students and their continued well-being and matriculation. BSU aims to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive Black student community, by providing opportunities for all students to increase awareness of Black culture with an emphasis on Black social, political, and intellectual traditions.
Black Graduate Student Support Space
This space is facilitated by the Black Graduate Student Association, the Office of Black Student Development, and CAPS. Our hope for students is that whether they are able to join us or not, that they seek out connections and community. It may take more effort than than they first expect wish, but the effort will definitely support they’re whole-person wellness as they nurture connections outside of your academic responsibilities. We have seen this make a huge impact!
The center cultivates a culture of care-work and belonging for students and student coalitions through opportunities for development and empowerment in their academic, professional, and personal pursuits. By centering the people that find a home at the MultiCultural Center, we seek to foster meaningful relationships that uplift students, staff, faculty, and the off-campus community through shared values and experiences that will empower the individual and the collective to serve as advocates for positive change in our communities.
Other Supports for Black Services
This listing is comprised of Black/Afro-diasporic mental health providers. These practitioners are not managed by the Healing Space, and we assume no legal responsibility for the governing of the individual or their practice. This referral list is not meant to be an exhaustive list of Black mental health providers.
The Healing Space does not verify the license, skills, or experience of anyone listed. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you use this referral as you would a telephone directory, simply to locate mental health professionals in your community or online. Once you locate a professional, it is your responsibility to investigate their background, to confirm licensing compliance, and ensure that there is not a history of complaints or disciplinary problems with their professional licensing board.
Black Therapy & Counseling Organizations:
Therapy for Black Kids was created to help parents deal with the challenges of racial injustice and foster resilience to promote healthy development.
Deeper Than Color is a team of highly skilled psychologists who work with a diverse clientele, and specialize in providing social justice oriented psychotherapeutic support to Black people and other People of Color.
Therapy for Black Girls is an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls.
The Black Girl Doctor is a boutique therapy practice specializing in the mental health and wellness of women who were meant to do big things.
Emmada Psychology Center is focused on addressing healthcare disparities, who’s passion is to convey value and respect to clients through its services, treating clients experiencing a wide range of conditions
GrowUrPotential is a nonprofit community counseling center, committed to expanding access to supportive services for marginalized populations that facilitate growth and wellbeing.
Cost Assistance & Financial Support
Healing Justice Santa Barbara Community Resources:
We all need support and resources. At Healing Justice we understand this and would like to provide support to our community when it is needed. We also understand that for those that may be marginalized, additional support can mean more work. We are here to listen, help, and act to navigate systems for community members to thrive. Please contact us directly if you are in need of support.
The Loveland Foundation Therapy Fund:
With the barriers affecting access to treatment by members of diverse ethnic and racial groups, the Loveland Therapy Fund provides financial assistance to Black women and girls seeking therapy nationally.
Hotlines & Call Support
Crisis Support Services call 1-800-953-9593
Teams of trained professional counselors provide free crisis de-escalation, crisis prevention, resource referral, and on-site secondary support to all direct support personnel. We act as the liaison for the Regional Center Service Coordinators while utilizes non-confrontational methods which avoid hospitalization and police involvement. As a 24/7 service, all calls are returned as quickly as possible. If you have not received a response within 5-10 minutes, call again to ensure your message was received by the CSS Team.
Santa Barbara - Don’t Call The Police:
In order to provide the most effective alternatives to calling the police or 911, unless otherwise indicated, the resources included here are limited to those that offer immediate assistance through emergency or crisis services. Supports include housing, LGBTQ+, mental health, domestic violence, sexual assault, youth, elders, crime, and substance use hotlines local to Santa Barbara.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: dial 988, or call 1-800-273-8255
We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.
2-1-1 Santa Barbara County Mental Wellness Psychiatric Hospitals:
Dial 2-1-1 to get connected to a specialist for personal assistance. Services are free, confidential, 24/7, and available in multiple languages. If you specifically need to locate a local psychiatric hospital, this link will provide you a map of where to find the nearest help. Additional education, evaluation, counseling, support groups, and hotlines are also available.
UCSB Crisis Assistance & After-Hours Phone Counseling: call 1-805-893-4411
If you are a registered UCSB student, or have a friend in crisis, CAPS staff are available to see you or consult with you, faculty/staff or parents in person during office hours, or by phone after-hours. We define a crisis as a situation where a person appears to feel greatly overwhelmed and unable to cope with some problem, is experiencing increased stress, is unable to think or act clearly or appropriately, yet feels pressure to make a decision, take some action, or make some kind of immediate change.