HARTFORD, Conn. — Gov. Ned Lamont announced Wednesday the launch of a new state program to enhance mental health services at higher education institutions.
The Connecticut Campus Mental Health Program is projected to benefit more than 130,000 undergraduate students across 28 colleges and universities in Connecticut, according to officials.
It will provide $2.7 million to colleges and universities as they respond to the ongoing student mental health challenges driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schools will be able to drive innovative and evidence-based strategies that enhance student access to care; boost education and awareness of mental health services and programs available to students; and equip staff and students with knowledge for supporting students with mental illnesses, particularly those from minority or traditionally underserved backgrounds, officials wrote in a release.
Lamont said the funding is an important step forward in ensuring the state's institutions of higher learning are equipped to provide every ounce of support possible to students in need after a stressful school year.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating toll on the mental health of college and university students that, left unchecked, could have significant long-term ramifications on their overall wellbeing,” he added.
The program's launch comes on the heels of legislation signed by Lamont earlier this year that charges institutions of higher education with assessing and, where necessary, enhancing mental health services for students on campus.
The funding is being supported by the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, which utilizes federal coronavirus relief aid dedicated to the state, officials wrote.
“We recognize the challenges that students have been facing on college campuses as they have been forced to adapt to the stresses of the pandemic,” Timothy D. Larson, executive director of Connecticut Office of Higher Education, said. “Designating funds to support their mental health is not only crucial to their well-being but also a good investment in our future leaders.”
Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Commissioner Nancy Navarretta said there’s no more important investment of state funds and resources, nor one that will pay bigger dividends in the future, than the investment in young people's mental health.
"Some COVID-19 risk mitigation measures, such as continued physical isolation, put students at greater risk of facing mental health impacts from the pandemic," Navarretta added. “Without proper mental health support and resources for students in need, there are a range of potentially serious and lasting consequences, including more students dropping out of school and higher rates of depression and anxiety."
Applications will be open to all nonprofit undergraduate institutions with an endowment per student of less than $100,000, as referenced in the 2019 Connecticut Higher Education System Data and Trends Report.
Maximum grant allocations have been predetermined based on each institution’s undergraduate student population and the percentage of those students receiving a Pell grant. Institutions applying for the grant can receive up to the maximum grant award based on a successfully completed application aligned with the grant program criteria.
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
---
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
