By Linsey Towles and Jason Green
Editor’s note: This story was created in collaboration with Linsey Towles and Jason Green.
Kiana Nua, former Project Ocean coordinator, and Karen San, former administrative staffer, both resigned from their positions at Project OCEAN, a peer-led program for on-campus emergency assistance, within the last month.
Their departure from the program under Counseling and Psychological Services follows the resignation of multiple other employees from mental health services.
What is Project OCEAN?
Project OCEAN is a program within Long Beach State’s CAPS system. CAPS provides mental health services to students on campus, covered by the cost of tuition.
According to the Project OCEAN website, the program’s mission is to “provide effective peer mentoring services to students and educate the campus community on suicide prevention.”
Services provided include group mentoring, hosting events related to mental health and facilitating suicide prevention training for students, faculty and staff.
Project OCEAN resignations
Nua resigned on Oct. 16 just two days before San and took to LinkedIn to post screenshots of her resignation email sent to CAPS employees.
“I can no longer work under leadership that consistently undermines the values we hold as a team,” Nua said in her email. “The treatment we receive as staff is starting to affect how I show up for my students.”
Nua went on to describe the lack of transparency and accountability from leaders within CAPS, stating she repeatedly felt pressured to leave by superiors due to her chronic illness.
“Because of this experience, and because of the leadership in student affairs right now, I do not think I will ever go back to higher education or work for another student affairs because it left that bad of a taste in my mouth,” Nua said in an interview with the Long Beach Current.
CAPS came under new management with the appointment of Amanda De Loera-Morales as CAPS Director in August 2022.
“Although CAPS cannot respond to inquiries regarding personnel shifts, CAPS has experienced changes that have included growth and opportunity as well as departures due to a variety of factors which are normal developmental points for any program,” said Associate Vice President of Health and Wellness Damien Zavala.
Widespread resignations take hold of CAPS
According to multiple sources in CAPS who have asked to remain anonymous in fear of professional retaliation, 20 employees have resigned, been let go or have not had contracts renewed since June 2022, including:
- Nine therapists
- Four administrative assistants
- Two Project Ocean coordinators
- Two director’s assistants
- An associate director
- A psychiatrist
- A case manager
One of the recent resignations include former Director’s Assistant Bridgett Reyes, who also took to LinkedIn to describe her experience at CAPS.
“At CAPS, I’ve seen how student crises and mental health needs are often downplayed, damaging trust and fostering a dismissive culture. Some staff resist following standard procedures, leaving urgent needs unmet,” Reyes said.
Reyes attributes a lack of collaboration within CAPS as a major factor impacting the quality of student services.
“Some resist change, causing unequal levels of service. Front desk staff often manage these gaps, creating confusion for students and employees,” Reyes said.
Reporters with the Long Beach Current attempted to make an initial consultation appointment with CAPS but there is a current wait time of three to four weeks.
Of the 20 positions that experienced departures, eight remain unfilled, including six therapists, one psychiatrist and one case manager as of Oct. 29. According to De Loera-Morales, CAPS does not plan to hire another case manager.
“CAPS has also welcomed different members to the team, and it will continue to welcome more members who are committed to providing the quality counseling services that students deserve,” Zavala said.
While personnel flow in and out of CAPS, Nua recounted her hopes for her colleagues in her resignation email.
“Good luck to those of you who are sticking around to try and fight for the change you and our students deserve,” Nua said. “I commend you and hope things get better sooner rather than later.”
