SACRAMENTO, CA — July 16, 2025 — The Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC) is pleased to announce another round of funding awarded through the Wellness Coach Designated Education Program, made possible through a partnership with the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI). This is the third round of funding for the program, following the initial grant of $1,320,644 to 7 colleges in October 2024 and $2,017,717 to 12 colleges in April, bringing the total to 26 colleges that will offer the program. 

For this round, $1,399,602 was awarded to seven California community colleges to develop and implement a Certified Wellness Coach education program. This program aims to address impending mental health challenges for children and youth by training new Certified Wellness Coaches to provide care to young people through prevention and early intervention services. Coaches will promote social-emotional well-being, prevent behavioral health challenges, and increase access to mental health and substance use services for youth across California.

“It is amazing to witness such passion from community college professors and administrators about the Certified Wellness Coach profession and providing this opportunity to students. Health equity is critical in California and HCAI and California Community Colleges are playing a key role to reduce health and mental health disparities experienced by vulnerable communities in California.”

–Michael Quiaoit, Senior Director, Equity and Community Impact, Foundation for California Community Colleges

Seven applications were received during this funding phase from community colleges. This phase’s awardees are as follows:

• College of the Redwoods – College of the Redwoods is committed to addressing long-standing disparities along the North Coastal region and providing the necessary resources to help students overcome challenges, succeed academically, and build pathways to brighter futures. The diverse student population, representing a wide range of racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds, will benefit from intentional efforts to address systemic inequities. By fostering an environment that prioritizes inclusion and equity, the College of the Redwoods aims to empower students to thrive both academically and personally. Training Certified Wellness Coaches who reflect the communities they serve is essential for fostering cultural competence, trust, and effective communication, which are critical for addressing diverse needs and achieving equitable care.
• Foothill College –  Foothill College’s proposed project will assist the college in filling curriculum gaps in the Social Work and Human Services Associate in Arts for Transfer (AAT) degree to fully align with the Wellness Coach I Certification requirements. The college currently has engaged faculty from various disciplines on campus and the content expertise to implement this project successfully. Faculty from Sociology, Psychology, Child Development, and Community Health will participate in course development and alignment. Foothill College is partnering with the Santa Clara County Office of Education, as well as San José State University to ensure that their students have a seamless transfer to complete a bachelor’s degree. By the end of this project, Foothill College hopes to have a robust list of partners they work with in their communities.
• Hartnell College – Hartnell College’s Wellness Coaching Program will be designed to directly support and advance the purpose of the Healthcare Access and Information Wellness Coaching Grant Program. Many of Hartnell’s students face significant barriers in accessing basic healthcare services and trustworthy health information due to systemic inequities, language barriers, immigration status, transportation issues, and a lack of health literacy. The Wellness Coaching Program will serve as a bridge between students and health-related resources, as students will receive training to promote social-emotional well-being, prevent behavioral health challenges, and expand access to mental health and substance use services for youth across California. Hartnell College is intentionally designing this program to prioritize students who face the greatest disparities in healthcare access, health outcomes, and wellness support.
• Lemoore College – Lemoore College’s proposed program focuses on developing a comprehensive educational pathway from a Certificate of Achievement to a transferable Associate of Science (AS) degree and prepares a diverse workforce that will provide essential behavioral health support services in the communities within the college’s service area. The curriculum design will incorporate all required competencies for Certified Wellness Coach certification and will develop students’ cultural responsiveness and ability to work with diverse populations. In addition to incorporating required competencies and developing cultural awareness, the program also aligns with the grant’s program purpose by creating clear pathways through stackable credentials, from an entry-level 31-unit Certificate of Achievement to an intermediate Associate of Science (AS) degree to a transfer-level AS. The program will emphasize hands-on, job placement opportunities, ensuring that graduates will have the practical skills necessary to promote social-emotional well-being and to achieve economic self-sufficiency.
• Shasta College – Shasta College has the need, dedication, and an established pathway to meet the Certified Wellness Coach competencies. The college will lead the development and promotion of the Certified Wellness Coach pathway in California’s far north region by modifying curriculum to meet certification requirements and building on its strong partnerships with K-12 and County Offices of Education. Shasta College will conduct targeted outreach to enroll students from underrepresented backgrounds, helping to meet regional demand for bilingual and culturally responsive behavioral health professionals in schools, nonprofits, and public service sectors.
• Solano Community College – Solano Community College’s proposal is a direct result of learning from students who have shared their experiences, from their collaboration with Solano County Behavioral Health, the Sacramento County Office of Education, and support from the Human Services and Social Work Advisory Board. They are excited to be part of developing this certification, which can help propel students and Solano Community College to the forefront of training and education in the field of Human Services/Wellness, while addressing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Accessibility, and Belonging (DEIAB) and increasing the provision of culturally responsive services given that residents will serve members from and within their communities.
• Ventura College – The program at Ventura College directly supports the goals of the HCAI grant by preparing students to become Certified Wellness Coaches who can serve California’s youth. Ventura College’s Social Work and Human Services Associate in Arts (AA) program already provides a strong foundation for this certification, and the proposed areas for growth, such as faculty development, new technology, and field-based partnerships, will help expand access and align fully with the state’s certification requirements. This program also directly supports the college’s SIDE (Social Justice, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity) goals, as well as its strategic plan objectives focused on equity, workforce development, and economic mobility. By creating an accessible pathway into a growing and meaningful career field, this program not only strengthens students’ futures but also helps address California’s behavioral health needs.

Across three phases of funding, a total of $4,737,963 has been awarded to twenty-six colleges;

Project proposals were evaluated based on the program guidelines provided to all applicants. Final awardees were selected for their alignment with the grant program’s purpose: to develop and implement a curriculum aligned with the state’s requirements for the Certified Wellness Coach I Certification training.

FoundationCCC administers the Wellness Coach Designated Education Program grant with funds provided through HCAI. This grant program is designed to support building a public behavioral health workforce that better represents the diversity of behavioral health needs among California’s children and youth.

Learn more about the Wellness Coach Designated Education Program and future funding cycles.

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The Foundation for California Community Colleges works to benefit students, colleges, and communities by accelerating paths to economic and social mobility, strengthening communities, and reducing barriers to opportunities for all Californians. FoundationCCC is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1998. It serves as the official statewide nonprofit organization supporting the California Community Colleges, the largest system of higher education in the nation. For more information, visit www.foundationccc.org. 

The California Department of Health Case Access and Information (HCAI) is committed to expanding equitable access to health care for all Californians—ensuring every community has the health workforce they need, safe and reliable health care facilities, and health information that can help make care more effective and affordable. It’s Health Workforce Development program area develops, supports, and expands a health workforce that serves medically underserved areas, represents the California it serves through racial and language diversity, and serves Medi-Cal members. It also offers programs that provide financial support to organizations expanding educational capacity, individuals to pursue health careers (scholarship and loan repayment), and organizations to build the workforce pipeline.