How switching to BetterMynd empowered Los Rios leadership to reimagine mental health services through access, flexibility & equity

INSTITUTION TYPE

One of California’s largest community college systems serving students across four colleges and eight additional centers.

LOCATION

Greater Sacramento, California area and points east all the way to Lake Tahoe.

ENROLLMENT

75,000+ students enrolled annually.

COUNSELING SERVICES

The district’s Student Health and Wellness department provides leadership and services to all Los Rios students; each college has one on-site clinician supported by contracted clinicians and interns.

Meet Victoria, the Dean of Student Wellness and Support Services

Victoria Flores, MSW, serves as the Dean of Student Wellness and Support Services at Los Rios Community College District (Los Rios), one of California’s largest community college systems.

When Victoria stepped into her role as Dean of Student Wellness and Support Services, she inherited a teletherapy vendor and model that looked efficient but was falling short where it mattered most.

Utilization was low. Costs were high. And the students who needed care most were falling through the cracks.

“We were paying a per-student fee for all 75,000 students,” Victoria shared. “When we did the math dependent on our utilization, we were spending about $600 per session. That’s just not sustainable. Furthermore, we didn’t have access to the data to understand what was actually working.”

Victoria and her team faced a complex challenge: how to deliver financially sustainable, flexible, identity-affirming mental health support to a student population that is geographically dispersed, economically diverse, and managing real-life responsibilities.

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Victoria Flores, MSW
Dean of Student Wellness and Support Services
Los Rios Community College District

“When we did the math dependent on our utilization, we were spending about $600 per session. That’s just not sustainable. Furthermore, we didn’t have access to the data to understand what was actually working.”

The challenge: A one-size-fits-all model that didn’t fit

Previous provider: AY 2022-23 and 2023-24

Los Rios serves an incredibly diverse and geographically dispersed student population—many of whom are working adults, caregivers, or enrolled in online or evening classes. Victoria knew from their data that only about 1% of students utilized mental health services. Yet the district was limited by a vendor model that treated all students the same, regardless of how or when they engaged.

“This wasn’t equity. It was equality,” Victoria explained. “Everyone got the same, but not everyone needed the same. That approach just doesn’t work for our students.”

The vision: strategic mental health support rooted in student success

In her leadership role at Los Rios, Victoria viewed mental health care not as a siloed service, but as an essential support to retention, equity, and institutional sustainability.

Victoria shared: “I come from a low-income background. My mother took community college courses on her lunch break—and that’s how she lifted our family out of poverty. So when I think about access, I think about the student who needs a therapy session at 9 PM on a Sunday so they can keep going. That’s success.”

“This wasn’t equity. It was equality,” Victoria explained. “Everyone got the same, but not everyone needed the same. That approach just doesn’t work for our students.”

A true equity model: how Los Rios met individualized student needs and eliminated financial waste with BetterMynd

Impact in Year 1 with BetterMynd (June 2024-2025)

Why the switch to BetterMynd worked: a model that aligns to real student life and real campus budgets

BetterMynd provided a solution that aligned with the lived realities of Los Rios students and the fiscal responsibilities of the institution.

“We couldn’t staff every center or support evening and weekend students alone. BetterMynd helped us expand our capacity and fill those access gaps,” shared Victoria.

Flexible, session-based pricing with roll-over

No per-student fee
Sessions are accounted for only after they are used
Unused sessions roll-over—zero waste
Start with what you need; adjust as needed

Victoria shared: “We can right-size what we purchased each year, and that’s a huge win in terms of fiscal responsibility.”

Custom student matching based on identity + clinical fit

Students choose providers based on:
- Race/ethnicity
- Language spoken
- LGBTQ+ identity
- Clinical specialization
Matching is preference-based and platform-driven

Victoria reflected on the quality of care: “Access to diverse therapists wasn’t just promised—it was delivered. You walked your talk.”

Live data dashboards + transparent reporting

Real-time usage and satisfaction data
Los Rios campus admins see real-time usage, satisfaction, and demographics
Student feedback (including quotes) is used in annual reporting
Disaggregated by gender, race/ethnicity, session times, and more

Victoria shared: “We finally had access to the data the way we needed it. That wasn’t the case before.”

Multiple access points: day, night, weekend, all virtual

Sessions available in the evenings and on weekends
Therapists licensed and insured in CA with minimum Master’s level education
HIPAA-compliant Zoom platform with no app required

Victoria expressed how important access is: “60% of our students use sessions in the evening. BetterMynd fills a huge gap.”

Campus collaboration, not just contract fulfillment

BetterMynd supports each campus with a dedicated Campus Success Manager
BetterMynd provided a toolkit of school-branded Los Rios marketing assets
Integration with other well-being platforms like Togetherall
BetterMynd clinical expertise provided guidance on crisis protocols, referrals, and outreach efforts

Victoria shared: “You helped us create a grid that shows which platform works best for which student. That helps destigmatize therapy and empowers choice.”

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“I really like my therapist. She has active listening skills and I feel fully supported by her during our sessions. I am SO very grateful Los Rios Community College offers FREE therapy for their students! What a blessing!”

– Los Rios Student

“60% of our students use sessions in the evening. BetterMynd fills a huge gap.”

-Victoria Flores
Dean of Student Wellness and Support Services

“(My therapist) has been a great help to me as an older returning student. She has helped me create goals and also set some boundaries. I am so appreciative that I was able to connect with her during the first weeks of school. I am doing well and I think having her feedback is a big part of my success.”

– Los Rios Student

A campus-wide culture shift: staff sustainability + student choice

BetterMynd helped Los Rios build a care ecosystem that supported both students and staff

Los Rios clinicians now feel empowered, not burdened, with multiple referral pathways
A branded “care grid” shows students how to navigate options: in-person, virtual, peer support
BetterMynd integrates seamlessly with Togetherall and other platforms

Victoria shared: “It’s not ‘me or nothing’ anymore. Our staff can breathe, and students feel like they have real choices.”

The impact: centering the students who need it most

With BetterMynd, Los Rios transformed its mental health strategy into one that:

Prioritizes students’ lived realities
Reduces stigma with flexible, private options
Empowers on-campus clinicians with referral options instead of bottlenecks
Preserved institutional funds while expanding access

“Success to me is when a single working parent can get a therapy session at 9 PM on a Sunday. That’s access. That’s success,” shared Victoria. “Even more, this isn’t just student success—it’s staff sustainability, too.”

Los Rios clinicians now feel empowered, not burdened, with multiple referral pathways.

Strategic alignment: mental health meets institutional priorities

For Victoria and her team, the search for a new provider wasn’t just about cost—it was about aligning with the district’s core values: equity, access and fiscal responsibility.

Equity: Students have access to the number of therapy sessions they need. Therapists that reflect student identity and needs.
Student-centered care: meeting students where they are—in life and learning.
Fiscal responsibility: smarter use of public health dollars.

“We needed a solution that honored how our students actually live and learn,” Victoria shared. “That meant care that could stretch across days/hours, work shifts, and lived experiences.”

BetterMynd’s flexible, session-based model—with zero per-student fees and full data transparency—was a game-changer. “We needed better data. Better flexibility. And care that actually matched how our students live. With BetterMynd, we found a partner who could deliver on all three,” shared Victoria.

Looking ahead: a replicable model for community colleges nationwide

BetterMynd and Los Rios aren’t just expanding care—they’re redesigning what institutional support looks like in a system facing staffing shortages, rising demand, and shifting student expectations.

Victoria shared: “If we can build a system that works for community college students—it can work anywhere. And with the reality of budget constraints, this is a model we can sustain.”

A final word from the Dean

“I always tell other institutions: ask yourself what your values are. Ours centered on equity, access, and sustainability (fiscal responsibility). BetterMynd helped us meet all three.”

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Want to supplement or expand care on your campus?

BetterMynd’s mission is to help every campus meet individualized student mental health needs through a service-first, sustainable partnership.

About BetterMynd

Through our network of providers and the power of teletherapy, BetterMynd is empowering college students to get the mental health care they need.

BetterMynd is not an emergency service and should not be used by anyone experiencing a life-threatening or crisis situation. Instead, you should call 911 to get immediate assistance.

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