DRYDEN, NY (607NewsNow) — SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced awards through SUNY’s Mental Health First Aid Grant Program on January 8th, one of which will go to Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3).

Annually, the program will award up to $8,000 grants to 27 SUNY campuses, with the funding estimated to support the delivery of Mental Health First Aid training for almost 3,000 faculty, staff, and other non-clinical campus personnel.

“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,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “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.”

Mental Health First Aid is a nationally recognized, evidence-based training program that teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health challenges and substance use disorders. The training emphasizes early recognition, supportive response, and connection to professional help, reinforcing SUNY’s focus on prevention, awareness, and coordinated care.

“This SUNY Mental Health First Aid grant will enable Tompkins Cortland Community College to expand mental health literacy across our campus by training more employees to recognize early signs of distress and respond with confidence,” said TC3 Director of Health and Wellness Services Matt Kiechle. “Faculty and staff are often the first trusted adults that students turn to, and the SUNY Mental Health First Aid grant will increase our capacity to provide timely, compassionate care and connect students to appropriate resources before concerns escalate, creating a safer, more supportive learning environment for our students and community.”

Find more information on what programs TC3 offers here.