FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 1, 2011 Newswise — The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is awarding $6.2 million in grants to 21 colleges and universities to assist in their efforts to prevent suicide and enhance mental health services for students in crisis. The grants are designed to enhance services for students with mental and behavioral health problems, such as depression and substance abuse, which may put them at risk for suicide and suicide attempts.
Funds will be used by the grantee to develop training programs for students and campus personnel, create on-campus networks, conduct educational seminars, prepare and distribute educational materials and promote the National Suicide Prevention lifeline (1-800-273-TALK or 8255) which provides 24-hour help for individuals with suicide-related problems.
“Suicide is preventable,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “This new grant will help ensure that students know that there are places they can turn for help – even before they are at a crisis point.”
This year, 16 Campus Suicide Prevention grants will be awarded under the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act. These grantees are expected to receive up to $102,000 per year for up to three years. Five grants will be awarded through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Prevention Fund. These grantees can receive up to $306,000 to be used over three years. Annual continuation awards will depend on the availability of funds and the performance of the grantees. The grant recipients and their annual awards are:
SAMHSA’s Campus Suicide Prevention Grants First year award amount University of Texas, Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, Texas $98,182 University of Miami, Fla. $101,966 Orange County Community College, N.Y. $97,423 Regents of New Mexico State University, N.M. $102,000 University of New Mexico, N.M. $101,975 Adams State College, Colo. $75,721 University of West Florida, Fla. $100,330 St. Cloud State University, Minn. $101,329 The Curators of University of Mo., Mo. $99,052 Bethune-Cookman University, Fla. $102,000 Mt. San Antonio College, Calif. $101,868 The Art Institute of Chicago, Ill. $102,000 Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Ohio $102,000 University of Southern Maine, Maine $102,000 Buffalo State College, N.Y. $102,000 University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus $99,932 ACA Prevention Trust Fund grantees University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus $306,000 Thomas Jefferson University, Pa. $306,000 Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona, Ariz. $306,000 University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska $306,000 Jackson State University, Miss. $306,000
For additional information about SAMHSA and its programs visit http://www.samhsa.gov/.
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SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.
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