Welcome to
Our Goals
In 2022/2023, we began to identify goals appropriate for this startup organization.
Goal 1: Identify the Community Service Area: (See our map)
Outlined in the first report (see section: Our Unique Features), we identified a service area encompassing nine cities, covering approximately 101.2 square miles. This area comprises approximately 504,697 residents and is represented by 12 distinct postal ZIP codes (excluding PO Box ZIP codes).
Goal 2: Identify Existing Mental Health Programs in the Service Area:
Our first report documented the following existing mental health services within the service area: 46 brick-and-mortar organizations, 4 crisis service providers (including 911 and 988), 115 private practitioners, and 22 faith-based mental health programs.
Goal 3: Determine Additional SERVICE Needs:
The second report (see section: Our Unique Features), recommended that in-person interviews be the next step. However, out of respect for the identified service providers' time, privacy, and confidentiality, we decided to develop the Greater Northridge Community Mental Health Services Questionnaire. Service providers completed the survey through Qualtrics to help determine a population to be served by a proposed Video Tele-Mental Health (VTMH) program. We identified 233 mental health service providers who received our questionnaire in August of 2025.
Goal 4: Prioritize Identified SERVICE Needs:
As a consequence of achieving many of our goals to date, TWC will continue to emphasize the importance of Macro skills training, but is now able to place a stronger emphasis on integrating foundational clinical concepts essential to an effective VTMH service program.
Goal 5: VTMH Service Program:
During the 2026-2027 academic year, TWC will provide a no-cost V-TMH service program to the community, staffed by trained and supervised second-year interns and augmented by recently graduated MSWs enrolled in the ACSW licensing program.
Our core training for such a program will emphasize fundamental clinical concepts, highlighting their use in actual situations, supported by evidence-based research.
The Westlund Center donor lost her year-long cancer battle on Thursday, February 23, 2023. Exercising her self-determination right, she took advantage of Washington State's Death with Dignity law and transitioned peacefully on a sun-filled afternoon, surrounded by friends and neighbors at home.
The Westlund Center at CSUN will continue her decades long commitment to service through the unique community service program she inspired.
Well done, Laura Westlund.