University Awarded $850,000 Grant for Mental Health Support Services

Recognizing mental health support requires more than a “one size fits all” approach, Montclair State University has been awarded an $850,000 grant by the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) to help expand mental health resources for its students.

The “Mental Health in Higher Education: Community Provider Partnership and
Professional Development Grant” funding allows higher education institutions to develop partnerships and expand professional capacity to meet the direct and unique mental health needs of students, with a focus on traditionally underrepresented student populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. All New Jersey colleges and universities were eligible to apply and receive funding.

As a Hispanic-Serving Institution with a minority-majority student population, Montclair is optimally positioned to offer these services to its diverse population of more than 21,000 students.

Funding from the grant will be overseen by Montclair’s Counseling and Psychological Services and will include new resources and access for students as well as additional professional development for faculty and staff focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Vice President for Student Development and Campus Life Dawn Meza Soufleris said resources from the grant will go a long way in helping students cope with anxiety and depression.

“It’s pretty broad in what we’ll be able to accomplish,” Soufleris said. “The grant not only includes money for things like nap pods on campus – we know there are sleep issues with this generation, and lack of sleep has a connection to anxiety, depression and performance – but also additional training for staff and others who provide triage and prevention for students, particularly in intersectionality and access to counseling, with a multicultural focus.”

The funding also covers training and support for Pebbles, Montclair’s new “pupscot.”

“This is a wonderful opportunity that shows OSHE and the state understand the benefit of having emotional support animals on campus,” Soufleris said.

Support from the state for such efforts is proof that mental health support is not cookie cutter, Soufleris added, and the programming made possible by the grant – expected to come to fruition by early fall – “will help us significantly hit it from a number of angles.”

“We’re hopeful this funding will provide needed training for faculty and staff as well as specialized mental health and substance use treatment opportunities for students. It’s fantastic that the state is making mental health a priority given the impact of the pandemic on young adults. We are grateful that our community will benefit from this significant support,” said Jaclyn Friedman-Lombardo, director of Counseling and Psychological Services.

For more information about Counseling and Psychological Services at Montclair, visit montclair.edu/counseling-and-psychological-services.

This article was featured in the Winter 2024 edition of Montclair magazine.