Same Care, New Space: Triton Health and Wellness Building Opens
New Building Centralizes Care and Support for Campus Community
Story by:
- Jen Jordan
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jrjordan@ucsd.edu - Melinda Battenberg
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mebattenberg@ucsd.edu
Published Date
July 16, 2026
Story by:
- Jen Jordan
–
jrjordan@ucsd.edu - Melinda Battenberg
–
mebattenberg@ucsd.edu
Article Content
The opening of the Triton Health and Wellness Building on July 14 was more than the inauguration of a new campus facility. It marked the next chapter of student and community wellness at UC San Diego
“To succeed academically and thrive personally, our students must feel connected, supported and healthy in both mind and body,” said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “The new Triton Health and Wellness Building serves as a comprehensive hub for our entire UC San Diego community, providing accessible primary and specialty care, mental health services and health education. By integrating these essential resources, we are empowering every Triton to prioritize their physical and mental well-being so they can truly flourish.”
Located in Triton Center, the new heart of the UC San Diego campus, the building expands and centralizes support for students, providing access to physical health, mental health and well-being resources. Now, services and programs offered by Student Health and Well-Being (SHW), UC San Diego Health and the School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry are united under one roof. This includes Student Health Services (SHS), Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Health Promotion Services (HPS), and the College Mental Health Program (CMHP). For the first time, a physical therapy unit is also available to students in the new Rehabilitation Services unit.
“In 2014, UC San Diego became the first UC to integrate student health and counseling services within its affiliated UC Health system, providing students with access to academic medical center resources as part of their continuum of care. The opening of the Triton Health and Wellness Building is the next step in that evolution,” said Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health. “We are uniting student-facing well-being and mental health services with UC San Diego Health primary care and occupational medicine all under one roof. Now, students, faculty, and staff can access fully integrated, world-class care directly on campus — right where they live, learn and work.”
The Triton Health and Wellness Building contrasts with the former Student Health Building, which was tucked away among eucalyptus trees off Library Walk. The facility’s comprehensive care is enhanced through intentional architecture, curated artwork and digital screens programmed by UC San Diego’s Chief Campus Curator’s Office. This design embodies the campus’s ArtsConnect initiative, which champions art as integral to wellbeing, a vehicle for diverse perspectives and a powerful tool to embed empathy in healthcare.
The integrated care available from the new centralized location includes state-of-the-art primary care, urgent care, optometry services and a pharmacy. A dedicated well-being lounge also provides a restorative space for students to pause, relax and reflect before an appointment or while passing through Triton Center. The top floor of the building is dedicated to mental health services, housing CAPS and CMHP to provide culturally sensitive, evidence-based treatments for general and complex mental health issues. Students will continue to see SHW care providers.
“I’ve been at many universities, and this building is extremely unique,” said UC San Diego Executive Director of Student Health and Well-Being Edward P. Junkins, Jr., MD, MPH. “It’s more than a community health facility – it’s an innovative, comprehensive center of health and well-being at a world-class health care institution where every individual is empowered to prioritize their health and well-being in ways that help them thrive. The central location in Triton Center will only enhance the overall student experience, which has always been a primary goal for the university.”
In addition to student-facing services and programs, UC San Diego Health will offer Primary Care and Occupational Health in the building, increasing accessibility to UC San Diego Health providers on campus for faculty, staff, alumni and the broader community
UC San Diego faculty and staff with UC Blue & Gold, UC Core and UC HealthSavings+ plans are now able to see a UC San Diego Health primary care physician at the new building. Those looking to switch their care to UC San Diego Health can find the steps at the UC San Diego Health website
