Affordable, clinician-reviewed assessments help SBCC reach accommodation decisions sooner and keep students on track during critical academic periods.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI AND SANTA BARBARA, CA / ACCESS Newswire / October 29, 2025 / Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) is adopting Mentavi Health's Diagnostic Evaluation to provide timely, rigorous ADHD assessments for students seeking academic accommodations. The partnership enables SBCC to reach accommodation decisions faster, when appropriate, and helps students stay on course during the term's most demanding weeks.
Established in 1909, Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) is one of the oldest community colleges in California.
ADHD is the second-largest eligibility category for SBCC's Disability Services and Programs for Students (DSPS). Until now, many students have faced weeks-long waits for off-campus diagnostic appointments-delays that can impede access to federally mandated accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504.
With Mentavi's asynchronous online Diagnostic Evaluation, students can complete a thorough assessment in about 60-90 minutes and receive results, reviewed by a licensed, doctorate-level clinician, within five days. The process reduces turnaround time from weeks to days, while meeting clinical standards for documentation required by DSPS.
"Early identification and treatment of ADHD and related mental-health conditions is crucial for improved academic and personal outcomes," said Mentavi Health Chief Medical Officer Barry K. Herman, M.D., MMM. "Timely diagnosis enables students to access the accommodations and support they need to succeed."
Mentavi's Diagnostic Evaluation, the first online ADHD assessment for adults to be clinically validated against current standards of care, has already served more than a dozen higher-education institutions nationwide and completed over 20,000 college-student evaluations. The validation study was published September 8, 2025, in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (J Clin Psychiatry 2025;86(3):25m15846; doi:10.4088/JCP.25m15846).
"For many of our students, the greatest challenge isn't the classroom itself but the invisible barriers that delay the accommodations they are entitled to under federal law," said Jana M. Garnett, DSPS Coordinator and Director at SBCC. "Mentavi makes professional clinical diagnoses both accessible and affordable, providing a pathway to the support our students need to thrive."
Efficient and Affordable Support
Students complete Mentavi's evaluation online and can share their report with SBCC's DSPS office to determine accommodations or with a Mentavi clinician for follow-up therapy, medical treatment, or coaching. Each evaluation is reviewed by a licensed clinician-not by automated AI-and is available for $189, a fraction of the cost of typical in-person assessments.
Mentavi's model helps colleges and universities expand student mental-health support without overburdening campus clinics or budgets, while giving students rapid access to evidence-based care.
Enhancing Student Outcomes and Institutional Reputation
Early, accurate diagnosis equips students to adopt strategies that improve academic performance and personal well-being. By facilitating timely access to care, as indicated by diagnosis, SBCC underscores its commitment to student success and equity.
"With national discussions underway about ADHD treatments and with growing state-level scrutiny of AI in healthcare, Mentavi stands out by combining validated evaluations with a human-centered model," said Keith Brophy, CEO of Mentavi Health. "Every evaluation is reviewed by a licensed clinician, ensuring accuracy and accountability while reducing stress on families, faculty, and staff."
About Santa Barbara City College
Established in 1909, Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) is one of the oldest community colleges in California. The district consists of SBCC's main campus on Santa Barbara's beachfront coast, two separate campuses for its School of Extended Learning programs, as well as a Cosmetology school. The college offers a range of associate degree, certificate and transfer programs and is recognized by the Department of Education as an official Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). One of SBCC student success programs includes the Disability Services and Programs for Students (DSPS). SBCC DSPS ensures educational access through accommodations, services, and support that help students with disabilities achieve their academic goals. Learn more at SBCC.edu.
About Mentavi Health
Established as ADHD Online in 2018, Mentavi Health has evolved to encompass a broader range of mental health services. With the mission to make high-quality ADHD assessments accessible to all, Mentavi has grown to address not only ADHD but also the most common related mental health conditions. The nationwide Mentavi Mental Health Diagnostic Evaluation and various treatment options showcase the company's commitment to providing comprehensive, accessible, compliant online mental health care. For more information, visit mentavi.com.
Media contact:
Tim Cox, ZingPR for Mentavi Health
tim@zingpr.com
SOURCE: Mentavi Health
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One of SBCC student success programs includes the Disability Services and Programs for Students (DSPS). This ensures educational access through accommodations, services, and support that help students with disabilities achieve their academic goals.
Mentavi's model helps colleges and universities expand student mental-health support without overburdening campus clinics or budgets, while giving students rapid access to evidence-based care.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire