Hudson Valley Community College Receives SUNY Grant to Expand Mental Health First Aid Training

January 20, 2026

HVCC is one of first 11 community colleges in the state to receive funding

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. recently announced that Hudson Valley Community College is one of 11 community colleges in the state to receive funding through SUNY’s new Mental Health First Aid Grant Program, which awards up to $8,000 per campus to strengthen supports for student mental health and wellbeing.

Mental Health First Aid is a nationally recognized, evidence-based training program that teaches faculty and staff how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health challenges and substance use disorders. SUNY’s program, which will include instructor certification, campus-wide training opportunities, required materials and outreach efforts to strengthen mental health literacy, will equip participants with practical tools to provide timely, informed support and intervention to students in need and connect them with appropriate professional resources.

On an annual basis, when fully implemented, the funding is estimated to support the delivery of Mental Health First Aid training for almost 3,000 faculty, staff, and other non-clinical campus personnel, expanding campus capacity to recognize and respond to students in distress, according to a press release from SUNY.

“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.”

“We appreciate SUNY’s recognition of the importance of mental health resources for students, and their investment in creating greater access to these resources,” said Hudson Valley Community College President Michael Brophy. “We strive to provide support for our students in every area of their lives, not just academics, and this new grant will allow us to offer additional support and extend our reach beyond the existing services such as those offered through our Counseling Services office.”

In addition to Hudson Valley, 26 other SUNY campuses received grants through the Mental Health First Aid Grant Program include State University of New York at Albany, Alfred State College, State University of New York at Binghamton, SUNY Brockport, State University of New York at Buffalo, Clinton Community College, Farmingdale State College, Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), SUNY Fredonia, Genesee Community College, SUNY Geneseo, Jamestown Community College, SUNY Maritime College, SUNY Morrisville, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Niagara Community College, SUNY Oneonta, Onondaga Community College, SUNY College of Optometry, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Schenectady County Community College, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Sullivan County Community College, Tompkins Cortland Community College, and Westchester Community College.

Any SUNY student in need of mental health support can find resources on SUNY’s mental health webpage. In addition, Hudson Valley students can contact the college’s Counseling Services office to make an appointment with a professional counselor, or access the Help Now Crisis Line through Counseling Services at (518) 629-7320, which provides immediate support outside of regular office hours. Hudson Valley students can also use their student email accounts to sign up for Welltrack Boost, a self-help app with the purpose of connecting students to well-being assessments, self-help videos, and more. Anyone, student or otherwise, who is experiencing an immediate mental health crisis can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential 24/7 support.