SAMHSA Awards $4.5 Million to Help Colleges and Universities Prevent Suicide

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Date: 9/10/2008
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press Office
Telephone: 240-276-2130

SAMHSA Awards $4.5 Million to Help Colleges and Universities Prevent Suicide

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Mental Health Services is awarding 17 grants to prevent suicide on college campuses. The Campus Suicide Prevention Grants Program is designed to assist colleges and universities in their efforts to prevent suicide attempts and completions. The program is also designed to enhance services for students with mental and behavioral health problems, such as depression and substance abuse, which put them at risk for suicide and suicide attempts. The grants were announced during a presentation at the Second Annual Pennsylvania Suicide Prevention Conference in Grantville, Pennsylvania, by SAMHSA Director of Communications Mark Weber.

“Of the 18 million enrolled students in higher education institutions, 234,000 attempt suicide every year, 19,500 every month, or 642 every day, said SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric Broderick, DDS, MPH. “The complex problem of suicide and suicidal behaviors on campuses demands a coordinated response. These grants will be used to target both the general campus population and identifiable at-risk populations where college students live, study, work, and play.”

The annual award amount is up to $100,000 per year for up to three years. Approximately $4.5 million is expected to be available over three years. Annual continuation awards will depend on the availability of funds, grantee progress in meeting project goals and objectives, and timely submission of required data and reports. Grant recipients are:

College or University	First Year Award Amount
University of Guam Campus Suicide Prevention Program	$100,000
University of California, Berkeley, Cal Asian-Pacific Islander Early Intervention Program	$100,000
University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Comprehensive Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Program	$100,000
Arizona State University, Tempe, Campus Care Suicide Prevention Program	$100,000
State University of New York, Albany, STEPS Program: Expanding And Enhancing a Coordinated Response to Student Suicide	$ 99,995
Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, Suicide Prevention Program	$ 92,722
Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, Tufts Community Cares	$ 99,584
University of Kentucky, Lexington, Research Foundation’s UK-TN-Case Program	$ 99,996
Trinidad State Junior College, CO, Suicide Prevention Outreach and Education	$ 62,171
Suicide Prevention and Crisis Response Management for Texas College, Tyler (SPCRMTC)	$100,000
State University of New York, Stony Brook, Closing the Culture Gap: Linking Suicide Prevention to the Needs of Asian American Students	$ 89,422
California State University, Long Beach, On Campus Emergency Assistance Network (OCEAN) at the Beach	$ 83,477
Pace University, New York City, Project OPEN (Outreach Prevention Education Network	$ 73,467
Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa, Project Safety NET	$ 30,861
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Altoona, Tightening the Safety Net: A Campus-Wide Suicide Prevention Initiative	$100,000
University of Maine, Orono, Touchstone Suicide Prevention Program	$ 99,875
University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Friends Helping Friends	$ 76,472

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health services delivery system.

Page Last Updated: 9/12/2008