McGovern Applauds $335K Award to Community Healthlink to Strengthen Mental Health Training for Central Mass. Colleges

Press Release

Today, Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02) applauded the news that Community Healthlink, the largest and most comprehensive provider of behavioral health and addiction services in central Massachusetts, has been awarded a three-year, $335,000 Project AWARE-Community grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to support the training of over 1,000 adults in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA).

This training will help faculty and staff on college and university campuses throughout central Massachusetts detect and respond to mental illness in youth 16-24 years old on campus.

"Helping our college students succeed starts with ensuring that they are healthy and ready for all the demands of school," said Congressman McGovern. "For many young people, college can be a stressful time. With this grant, faculty and staff on college and university campuses throughout central Massachusetts will get the training they need to quickly identify and respond to any mental health issues our students are facing. Community Healthlink is doing great work for our community and I know this grant will help college students throughout central Massachusetts."

MHFA is a public education program that trains participants to understand the risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems and builds an understanding of the importance of early intervention. Participants are introduced to local mental health resources, national organizations, support groups, and online tools for mental health and addictions treatment and support.

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