The Mental Health First Aid Grant Program awarded 27 SUNY campuses funding to train staff to respond to students struggling with mental health or substance use.
Last month, SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced that 27 SUNY campuses will receive new grants through the Mental Health First Aid Grant Program. Sixteen state four-year campuses and 11 community colleges will receive awards of up to $8,000 to fund training for nearly 3,000 staff in mental health first aid.
Personnel will be trained to recognize and respond to students experiencing mental health or substance use challenges, part of the SUNY Board of Trustees’ commitment to systemwide strategies that support student mental health.
“I applaud Chancellor King for instituting the Mental Health First Aid Grant Program on SUNY campuses,” State Sen. Lea Webb ‘04 said in a SUNY press release. “This nationally recognized and evidence-based program will deliver critical training for faculty and staff to ensure that students in crisis receive timely and appropriate assistance.”
Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based training program that emphasizes early intervention and reducing stigma, aiming to improve mental health support across campus. In a Higher Education course report from the program, 72 percent of trainees reported “improved mental health literacy.” On campuses where stigma surrounding mental health counseling is high, the program gives trainees the skills needed to recognize early signs of mental struggle and provide support.
Binghamton University adopted its Mental Health First Aid program in 2021. Since then, more than 400 students, faculty and staff at the University have been trained in Mental Health First Aid. As for other SUNY campuses, a system-wide Mental Health First Aid Grant Program was announced in King’s 2025 State of the University Policy Agenda.
“Mental Health First Aid is a critical part of our campus-wide approach to student well-being,” said Johann Fiore-Conte, the University’s associate vice president for student affairs and chief health and wellness officer. “It strengthens our collective capacity to recognize early signs of distress and respond in ways that are timely, compassionate and effective. As we move forward, we are focused on scaling this program and integrating it more fully into our broader health and wellness strategy.”
The training program will be campus-wide and extend beyond just counseling centers, certifying instructors, providing required materials and increasing outreach efforts to strengthen mental health literacy. The University and others with existing Mental Health First Aid programs are encouraged to expand their training and devote funding to provide training opportunities for neighboring SUNY campuses.
Studies have shown that college students are more frequently experiencing mental health and substance use challenges, which are increasing, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. A study published in the Journal of American College Health found that at one Midwestern university, 83 percent of students reported moderate or significant emotional distress, yet 90 percent of those surveyed reported that they had not used mental health counseling in the past six months.
“SUNY students and their loved ones deserve the peace of mind that comes from knowing there are supports and staff available to assist in case of mental health challenges or distress,” the SUNY Board of Trustees said in a statement. “This grant program will help ensure more faculty and SUNY personnel throughout the state will receive important training to take action and help those experiencing mental health distress.”
