Mercy University wins $500,000 grant to expand suicide prevention

Mercy University received a four-year, $500,000 federal grant from SAMHSA to expand suicide prevention, mental health education and student support across its three campuses. The funding will back Mercy RISE, a new initiative aimed at earlier intervention, better access to care and longer-term campus mental health infrastructure.

Why it matters: - Mercy University will use the federal award to widen mental health support for students across all three campuses. - The grant targets suicide prevention, early identification and access to behavioral health care at a time when college mental health needs remain high. - Mercy said the work is meant to create sustainable systems that continue after the grant ends.

What happened: - Mercy University received a $500,000 federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. - The four-year award comes through SAMHSA’s Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant Program. - The grant will fund Mercy RISE, short for Resilience, Intervention, Support and Empowerment. - Mercy RISE is designed to serve students across Mercy University’s three campuses.

The details: - The initiative will expand early identification of students who may be struggling with behavioral health concerns. - Mercy RISE will increase access to behavioral health services and support evidence-based prevention strategies. - The program will also build infrastructure intended to improve student well-being over time. - Colleen Powers, executive director of Health and Wellness at Mercy University, said the funding will build on existing work through JED Campus and other initiatives. - Mercy University said the initiative has four main goals: strengthen institutional capacity for suicide prevention, improve early identification and referral, increase help-seeking and awareness of services, and establish sustainable policies and partnerships. - The university will work with existing campus offices including the Counseling Center, CARE Team, Student Health Office and Office of Accessibility. - Mercy will also partner with JED Campus, BetterMynd, Lavender Psychiatry, the Behavioral Health College Partnership, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, NAMI of Westchester, the Jordan Porco Foundation and other regional providers. - Planned efforts include training faculty, staff, student leaders and students to recognize warning signs and connect peers to help. - Mercy will conduct annual behavioral health needs assessments, voluntary behavioral health screening and referrals, integrated crisis response, prevention programming, outreach and stigma reduction. - The university also plans strategies to reduce access to lethal means.

Between the lines: - Mercy is pairing the new grant with its 2025 JED Campus work, which signals a broader shift from isolated services to a more coordinated campus mental health model. - The emphasis on infrastructure and partnerships suggests the university is trying to make suicide prevention part of everyday campus operations, not just a stand-alone program. - The data cited by Mercy points to a large unmet need among students, which helps explain why the university is prioritizing prevention and early intervention.

What happened: - The 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 33.2% of 18- to 25-year-olds experience mental illness and 9.4% experience serious mental illness. - Mercy’s 2024–2025 Healthy Minds Study found that 62% of students experience symptoms of at least one significant mental health concern. - Mercy said an estimated 3,000 students with identified needs are not receiving treatment. - Mercy joined JED Campus in 2025 to assess and strengthen its mental health, substance misuse and suicide prevention programs.

What's next: - Mercy will continue working with JED and its campus and community partners to assess gaps and expand services. - The university is expected to roll out training, screening, prevention programming and referral pathways under Mercy RISE. - Mercy said the goal is to leave behind lasting policies and prevention infrastructure after the four-year grant period.

The bottom line: - Mercy University is using new federal funding to move from awareness to a more comprehensive, campus-wide suicide prevention system.