Tidewater Community College Receives Federal Grant for Student Mental Health Initiative
Tidewater Community College in Hampton Roads has received a $494,000 federal grant from SAMHSA to launch a mental health and suicide prevention program for its students.
Norfolk Portsmouth Newport News, VA, November 8, 2026 — Tidewater Community College (TCC) in the Hampton Roads region has been awarded a significant federal grant aimed at bolstering mental health services and suicide prevention efforts for its student body. The college will receive $494,000 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to establish a new program designed to support students’ well-being.
The federal funding will enable TCC to develop and implement comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention strategies. While specific details of the program’s components were not provided in the announcement, such initiatives typically focus on increasing access to mental health care, providing educational resources on mental health awareness, and offering support services to students experiencing distress. The grant’s purpose is to address the growing need for mental health support within higher education institutions, aiming to create a safer and more supportive campus environment.
SAMHSA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides grants to states, communities, and non-profit organizations to improve mental health and substance use services across the nation. The allocation of this $494,000 grant to Tidewater Community College underscores the federal government’s commitment to addressing mental health challenges faced by college students, a demographic often experiencing unique pressures.
The program is intended to benefit students directly by providing them with critical resources and timely interventions. The initiative is expected to contribute to early identification of mental health concerns and offer pathways to professional help, ultimately aiming to reduce the incidence of mental health crises and suicides among the student population at TCC. The college will utilize the funds over a specified period to build sustainable mental health support systems.
Story summarized from the original created by SarahBeth Peterson on www.wavy.com, see more information here.
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