The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is awarding $6.2 million in grants to 21 colleges and universities to assist in their efforts to prevent suicide and enhance mental health services for students in crisis. The grants are designed to enhance services for students with mental and behavioral health problems, such as depression and substance abuse, which may put them at risk for suicide and suicide attempts.

Funds will be used by the grantee to develop training programs for students and campus personnel, create on-campus networks, conduct educational seminars, prepare and distribute educational materials and promote the National Suicide Prevention lifeline.

"Suicide is preventable," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. "This new grant will help ensure that students know that there are places they can turn for help even before they are at a crisis point."

This year, 16 Campus Suicide Prevention grants will be awarded under the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act. These grantees are expected to receive up to $102,000 per year for up to three years. Five grants will be awarded through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Prevention Fund. These grantees can receive up to $306,000 to be used over three years. Annual continuation awards will depend on the availability of funds and the performance of the grantees. The grant recipients and their annual awards are:

SAMHSA's Campus Suicide Prevention Grants

First year award amount

University of Texas, Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, Texas

$98,182

University of Miami, Fla.

$101,966

Orange County Community College, N.Y.

$97,423

Regents of New Mexico State University, N.M.

$102,000

University of New Mexico, N.M.

$101,975

Adams State College, Colo.

$75,721

University of West Florida, Fla.

$100,330

St. Cloud State University, Minn.

$101,329

The Curators of University of Mo., Mo.

$99,052

Bethune-Cookman University, Fla.

$102,000

Mt. San Antonio College, Calif.

$101,868

The Art Institute of Chicago, Ill.

$102,000

Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Ohio

$102,000

University of Southern Maine, Maine

$102,000

Buffalo State College, N.Y.

$102,000

University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus

$99,932

ACA Prevention Trust Fund grantees

University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus

$306,000

Thomas Jefferson University, Pa.

$306,000

Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona, Ariz.

$306,000

University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska

$306,000

Jackson State University, Miss.

$306,000

Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA)