St. John’s College News:
SANTA FE – St. John’s College has been awarded a three-year $306,000 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to strengthen the college’s behavior health infrastructure especially for suicide prevention efforts on its Santa Fe campus.
The program will support a comprehensive public health and evidence-based approach to behavioral health, including suicide, depression, serious mental illness and substance abuse.
“We know that increasing mental health challenges, including risk of suicide, and, more generally, increased anxiety, depression, and loneliness among young people all reflect a national epidemic. Resource constraints make it hard for most colleges to get out of a reactive posture to the level of need they face,” said St. John’s College Santa Fe President J. Walter Sterling. “The services this grant will enhance or launch reflect St. John’s ongoing commitment to holistic student flourishing and to being a true community of learning, where we support one another.”
The funds will support a Prevention Manager position at St. John’s College, as well as other relevant programming and training. The college acknowledges the support of the University of New Mexico Behavioral Health Sciences during the application process:; e organization will continue to partner with St. John’s through the three-year duration of the grant.
The goals of the program are to:
- enhance behavioral health services for all college students, including those at risk for suicide, depression, serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbances, and/or substance use disorders that can lead to school failure.
- prevent and reduce suicide and mental and substance use disorders.
- promote help-seeking behavior and reduce stigma.
- improve the identification and treatment of at-risk college students so they can successfully complete their studies.
“As a college community we have invested significantly in identifying students at risk, especially among our LGBTQIA+ population, by creating a supportive structure that encourages wellness, campus engagement, and study-life balance,” said Vice President for Student Engagement Christine Guevara. “Sadly, suicide is one of the leading causes of death for young adults and college students, according to a 2020 study by the CDC. Students with depression or anxiety are at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors.”