Noma Cares Central
Welcome to Noma Cares Central. Noma Cares is a one-stop shop that provides support for Sonoma State students in crisis and/or acute crisis response. Though its components - Basic Need Initiative, Care Team, Confidential Advocacy, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), and their various components - issues or concerns ranging from elevated personal concerns to acute critical incidents (emergencies) are addressed with compassion and privacy.
Basic Needs is critical to student success at Sonoma State University,The Basic Needs Initiative Program provides students who may be experiencing:
- food insecurity
- housing insecurity or are homeless
- an emergency and/or a crisis
with resources and services that remove barriers and empower students to persist and thrive in their educational journey toward academic success.
CalFresh is a nutrition program that provides eligible households and individuals with a monthly allowance for groceries. Eligible students may be able to receive food expenses of $150 or more.
Charged by the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Care Team's purpose is to ease or mitigate the complex and compounding obstacles our students face which adversely impact academic success and progress during their enrollment at Sonoma State. The Care Team devises an individual plan, combining on and off campus resources, to support each student in the Care Team queue who is experiencing hardship.
Confidential Advocacy is SSU's primary confidential resource for addressing sexual assault, intimate partner violence, domestic violence, stalking, sexual exploitation, and harassment.
At Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), our purpose is to support student mental health and well-being. We offer short-term individual and group counseling, workshops, crisis intervention services, consultation, referral, training, and outreach to accomplish this. All currently enrolled students who pay the mental health fee (a mandatory campus fee paid at registration) are eligible for our services. There are no additional charges for our services.
The Career Closet - Hosted by the Career Center is an on-campus resource that provides Sonoma State University students with formal attire for job interviews, frat & sorority related events, or any other occasion where students may feel inclined to "dress to impress." Funded by the Career Center and located in Noma Care Central's office in Zin 100 across from the Zinfandel mail room, all we ask is that you bring your student I.D. and be conscientious when deciding upon the amount of clothing you will be borrowing.
Kellie Douglas
- She/Her/Hers
- Confidential Sexual Assault Victim's Advocate Coordinator
- douglask@sonoma.edu
- (707) 664-2698
Education
- B.A. in Criminology & Criminal Justice Studies / Minor in Computer Science
Areas of Responsibility
- Confidential student, staff, and faculty support relating to instances of harm, including sexual assault, dating & domestic violence, stalking, harassment, and discrimination
- Campus outreach efforts to raise awareness of sexual violence and confidential support resources
How I can help
- Provide a safe, nonjudgmental space to process, validate, and be heard with kindness and compassion
- Connection to various on-campus and community resources based on individual needs
- Accompaniment to law enforcement interviews, SART exams or other related medical appointments, OPHD (title IX) intakes and meetings, court proceedings, and protective order hearings
- Individualized emotional and decision-making support, crisis support, and trauma-informed care
Edie Brown
- She/Her
- Basic Needs & Care Team Coordinator
- edie.brown@sonoma.edu
- (707) 664-4157
Education
- Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, CSU Fresno
- M.S. Counseling, San Francisco State University
- B.A. Psychology, Sonoma State University
Areas of Responsibility
- Basic Needs Initiative
- Financial
- Housing
- Care Team
How I can help
- Connect students with resources: Guide students to food, housing, financial, and wellness resources on campus and in the community
- Create a Supportive Environment: Foster trust by demonstrating empathy and creating a space where students feel safe asking for help
- Refer and follow up: Follow up with students to ensure they made a connection and feel supported throughout the process
- Advocate and Educate: Share information about Care & Basic Needs resources and advocate for a caring, supportive campus culture
Jenna McKee-Bakos
- She/Her/Hers
- Residential Student Support Cooridnator
- mckeebakos@sonoma.edu
- (707) 664-2398
Education
- M.A. in Global Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara
- B.A. in Economics and Global Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara
Areas of Responsibility
- Residential Student CARE Cases
- REACH support
- Outreach
How I can help
- Individualized support for students experiencing hardship