TC3 receives SUNY Mental Health First Aid grant

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. recently announced that 27 campuses will each receive up to $8,000 in funding through SUNY’s Mental Health First Aid Grant Program.

Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) was one of those SUNY campuses that were awarded the grant, which provides “targeted funding to strengthen campus-wide approaches to student mental health and well-being across the SUNY System,” according to a release.

“On an annual basis, 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,” the release noted.

King noted that “mental health is health.”

“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,” King said. “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.”

SUNY’s Mental Health First Aid grant program was announced as part of King’s 2025 State of the University Policy Agenda and reflects the SUNY Board of Trustees’ “ongoing commitment to proactive, systemwide strategies that support student mental health,” the release noted.

“By extending training beyond campus counseling centers, this initiative equips faculty and staff with practical tools to provide timely, informed support and connect students with appropriate professional resources,” the release continued.

According to a description, 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.”

“I applaud Chancellor King for instituting the Mental Health First Aid Grant Program on SUNY campuses,” state Senator Lea Webb said. “This nationally recognized and evidence-based program will deliver critical training for faculty and staff to ensure that students in crisis receive timely and appropriate assistance. As a member of the Senate’s Mental Health Committee, I was proud to support funding for this program in last year’s state budget. I am proud that SUNY Binghamton and Tompkins Cortland Community College will benefit from these critical mental health resources. Investing in mental health education strengthens our campus communities and ensures students have access to timely, compassionate support.”

Matt Kiechle, TC3’s director of health and wellness services, said the program will enable TC3 “to expand mental health literacy across our campus by training more employees to recognize early signs of distress and respond with confidence.”

“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,” Kiechle said.

Tramaine El-Amin, vice president of SUNY Mental Health First Aid, said that faculty and staff are often the first ones to notice when a student is struggling.

“They deserve practical, evidence-based tools to respond with confidence and care,” El-Amin added. “These grants will help SUNY campuses expand Mental Health First Aid training, so more educators and frontline staff can recognize the signs of mental health and substance use challenges, start supportive conversations and connect people to appropriate resources. SUNY is making an important investment in campus well-being and in the everyday moments when being prepared can make a difference.”

For more information, go to suny.edu.

In brief:

Upcoming meetings in Dryden

The Dryden Town Board is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Jan. 15 at the Dryden Town Hall at 93 E. Main St. in Dryden. The public is invited to attend, either in person or via Zoom.

For more information, contact the town hall at 607-564-9981. Meeting agendas are available at dryden.ny.us.

The Village of Dryden Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet in person at 6 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Dryden Village Hall at 16 South St.

For more information, contact the village hall at 607-844-8122.

Upcoming Dryden BOE meeting

The Dryden Board of Education is scheduled to meet Jan. 26 at 6 p.m.

The meeting on the 26th is at Dryden Elementary School. The public is invited to attend. For more information, go to dryden.k12.ny.us.

Silent book club at the library on Jan. 26

Southworth Library in Dryden will have its silent book club gathering at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 26.

“We’ll spend some time chatting and getting snacks, and give a preview of the give away book and then you will be free to grab a cozy seat and read in a room with other readers, no conversation required,” according to a description on the library’s website.

The book for this month is “The Snowbirds” by Christina Clancy.

“A winter getaway turns deadly in this tale of relationships and the struggles of middle age,” according to a description of the book.

The club allows people to choose a free book from the library’s pile to read and take home. Participants can also bring a book to the gathering.