Triton Health and Wellness Building to Open in 2026

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This story appears in the spring 2025 issue of UC San Diego Magazine as “Transforming Health Care.”

As UC San Diego has grown and evolved over time, so have the health and well-being needs of its diverse student population, now more than 45,000 strong.

“People achieve well-being in a variety of ways,” says Dr. Edward Junkins, executive director, Student Health and Well-Being. “We try to meet our students where they are, acknowledge and celebrate their intersectional identities, and ensure that they not only have access to these resources but they have equitable access.”

Slated to open in 2026, the new four-story Triton Health and Wellness Building is part of the larger Triton Center and will centralize essential health services, expand access and integrate care, all in the heart of campus.

“Triton Center expands our ability to offer comprehensive and complementary services in the same space,” says Junkins. “It opens more opportunities for us to care for our students.”

At one time, Student Health Services operated from a modest Quonset hut — a prefabricated, curved steel structure — that dated back to the Camp Matthews Marine Corps military base. Later, in 1974, it moved to a more traditional ambulatory care center building along Library Walk. In March 2023, the new home for Student Health and Well-Being was approved by the UC Regents and construction began later that year.

Triton Center, located along Gilman and Myers Drive, is currently the largest construction project at UC San Diego. The four-building, 332,000-square-foot complex will centralize essential programs and services while providing space for gathering, relaxation, reflection and enrichment. Triton Center will be a vibrant gateway to campus and will include the Triton Alumni and Welcome Center, the Student Success Building, the Triton Health and Wellness Building, The Strauss, an innovative art gallery, and a celebration space for community gatherings.

The Triton Health and Wellness Building will unite services and programs offered by Student Health and Well-Being, UC San Diego Health and the School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry. The building will house specialized services for registered students, such as Student Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Health Promotion Services and the College Mental Health Program. In addition, UC San Diego Health will offer Rehabilitation Services, Occupational Medicine and Express Care, making them more broadly accessible to students, faculty, staff, alumni and non-affiliates.

UC San Diego and UC San Diego Health share a common vision: a thriving campus community with access to fully integrated, collaborative health and well-being resources. The new Triton Health and Wellness Building is a significant step forward in bringing that vision to life.

Transforming Student Health

The goal of Student Health and Well-Being is to foster a healthier, more compassionate campus environment that supports students throughout their UC San Diego journey.

“We can’t expect students to thrive and succeed academically unless they feel connected, resilient and healthy in both mind and body,” says Junkins. “We strive to deliver care and education that’s innovative, compassionate and accessible at a world-class health care institution, empowering every individual to prioritize their health and well-being in a stigma-free environment.”

The new building will include services that emphasize proactive, preventative care, offering a full continuum of care on campus. “Members of our Triton community — including UC San Diego faculty, staff and researchers, in addition to students — will be able to make appointments and be seen by UC San Diego Health providers,” says Junkins. “These providers work closely with researchers to deliver leading-edge care that improves outcomes and experiences.”

In the new building, registered students will continue to have access to state-of-the-art and on-site primary care, urgent care, optometry services and a pharmacy. A new, dedicated wellness lounge will offer health-based programs addressing the multiple dimensions of well-being, encouraging students to develop behaviors that promote lifelong health.

For the first time, UC San Diego Health Express Care will offer after-hours services for students, faculty, staff and the general public. In addition, rehabilitation services, including sports medicine for scholar-athletes and occupational medicine for campus employees, will also be available.

A Commitment to Well-Being

The top floor of the Triton Health and Wellness Building will be dedicated to mental health services, housing CAPS alongside the Department of Psychiatry’s College Mental Health Program. This joint location will enable for culturally sensitive, evidence-based treatments for general and complex mental health issues. Psychiatrists, psychologists and other licensed mental health providers will promote healthy choices and education, allowing for early intervention and assessment, streamlining the continuum of care and improving treatment for students.

In addition, a planned expansion of Health Promotion Services will further provide education and well-being programs to help students navigate the transition from adolescence to adulthood by offering educational and preventative resources. Through individual health coaching and group activities, students will learn how their sexual health, alcohol and other substance use, and mental and physical well-being intersect with their academic and personal goals.

UC San Diego is reaffirming its commitment to holistic, integrated care for the campus community, ensuring every Triton has the resources and support needed to flourish. Learn more about Triton Center at tritoncenter.ucsd.edu and Student Health and Well-Being at studentwellbeing.ucsd.edu.