Franklin College Awarded Federal Grant to Support Student Mental Health
Franklin College has been awarded a $291,624 federal grant to be funded over a three-year period from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to expand its student mental health services on campus. The College will use the funding to develop and implement the “Creating a Community of Care” project to pursue a comprehensive public health approach and utilize evidence-based practices to address mental illness, substance use disorders and suicide ideation.
“We are grateful for this grant allowing us to increase our investment in mental health services for our students,” said Franklin College President Kerry N. Prather. “We are committed to supporting the well-being of our students and ensuring they have access to the care they need to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.”
“Our campus counselors provide exceptional support to our students,” said Andrew Jones, vice president for student development and dean of students. “The SAMHSA grant will allow us to provide greater depth and breadth of services through additional staffing, a telehealth platform and professional development for faculty and staff. We know mental health has a significant impact on student performance and success, and we’re excited to implement this grant to benefit our campus community.”
Jones noted the project will be developed with multiple goals in mind: increasing behavioral health services and campus responses for all Franklin students; enhancing suicide prevention protocols; bolstering targeted and effective education and outreach efforts in the areas of mental illness, substance use disorder and suicide risk; reducing stigma; and increasing help-seeking behaviors in students.
Student mental health has been a topic of national discussion and concern for several years, particularly related to anxiety and depression. The SAMHSA grant positions Franklin College well to be proactive in addressing student mental health needs on campus.