Nazareth's ongoing commitment to student mental health receives new national grant

Rochester, NY (10/20/2026) — Nazareth University has earned its second federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to continue the university's commitment to students' mental health and wellness. The Campus Suicide Prevention Grant, $366,000 over four years, is one of just 70 awarded nationwide. The funding supports Nazareth's continuing work on its Mental Health Awareness Across Campus project, an integrated, holistic approach to mental health education and suicide prevention at Nazareth University.

This Nazareth project began in 2023 when the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services awarded Nazareth its first grant. The funding supported the creation of the Well-Being Collective on campus and a four-year collaboration with the nationally recognized Jed Foundation for strategic planning expertise to build on existing strengths and improve mental health and connections all across the campus community, for healthier, safer students.

The new federal funding supports the hiring of an alcohol and other drugs suicide prevention coordinator and gatekeeper training for 600 faculty, staff, and students - increasing the Nazareth community's ability to recognize, respond to, and refer students who are struggling with mental health issues such as substance use, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. Gatekeeper training will be integrated with the faculty/staff orientation program to help build a culture of whole-campus participation in this initiative.

"Gatekeeper training allows all members of the Nazareth community to recognize others showing warning signs of suicide or other mental health concerns, intervene safely, and connect them with professional help," said John Rigney, Nazareth's assistant director for wellness outreach & education. "The professionals in the health and counseling center have been doing a phenomenal job, and the demand is high, so this and our other trainings will relieve some of that burden. We are proud that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sees Nazareth's program as one that can really make a difference for our students."

The good work of Nazareth's Well-Being Collective will continue - providing more wellness-focused events throughout each academic year, including several mental health screening days. Additionally, Nazareth student peer educators will become more actively involved in developing and providing prevention training on topics such as public health, mental health, and substance abuse.

Nazareth's Mental Health Awareness Across Campus project was developed under a grant number 1H79SM092823-01 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The views, policies, and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAMHSA or HHS.