Selected SUNY campuses win grant awards for student mental-health programs

ALBANY — Several regional SUNY campuses are set to receive funding through the system’s Mental Health First Aid grant program. Binghamton University, Onondaga Community College, Tompkins Cortland Community College, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Morrisville, and Alfred State College are among the recipients. SUNY Chancellor John King, Jr. announced the awards on Jan. 8. The grants provide targeted funding to strengthen campus-wide approaches to student mental health and well-being across the SUNY system. The program will award up to $8,000 grants to 27 SUNY campuses, including 16 state-operated campuses and 11 community colleges. On an annual basis, when fully implemented, the funding is estimated to support the delivery of mental health first-aid training for almost 3,000 faculty, staff, and other non-clinical campus personnel, expanding campus capacity to recognize and respond to students in distress, SUNY said. The grant funding will support the creation and expansion of campus Mental Health First Aid programming, including instructor certification, campus-wide training delivery, required materials, and outreach efforts to strengthen mental-health literacy. Campuses with existing Mental Health First Aid programs are encouraged to use the funding to expand training for additional students, faculty, and staff and, where appropriate, provide training opportunities to neighboring SUNY campuses. “Mental health is health, and our priority at SUNY is to advance every aspect of our students’ growth and to ensure they have the support needed to succeed in their academic, professional, and personal development,” King said. “The grants provided through this innovative program will help ensure more SUNY staff and personnel are trained to recognize and address mental health concerns and to support students in need.” King first announced the Mental Health First Aid Grant program as part of his 2025 State of the University policy agenda. It reflects the SUNY board of trustees’ “ongoing commitment to proactive, systemwide strategies” that support student mental health.  By extending training beyond campus counseling centers, the initiative equips faculty and staff with practical tools to provide timely, informed support and connect students with appropriate professional resources, SUNY contends. “Faculty and staff are often the first to notice when a student is struggling, and they deserve practical, evidence-based tools to respond with confidence and care,” Tramaine El-Amin, VP of Mental Health First Aid, said. “These grants will help 27 SUNY campuses expand Mental Health First Aid training, so more educators and frontline staff can recognize the signs of mental health and substance use challenges, start supportive conversations, and connect people to appropriate resources. SUNY is making an important investment in campus wellbeing and in the everyday moments when being prepared can make a difference.”