Grant Details

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2024 Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) Campus Suicide Prevention grant program. The purpose of this program is to develop a comprehensive, collaborative, well-coordinated, and evidence-based approach to:

1. Enhance mental health services for all college students, including those at risk for suicide, depression, serious mental illness(SMI)/serious emotional disturbances (SED), and/or substance use disorders that can lead to school failure;
2. prevent mental and substance use disorders;
3. promote help-seeking behavior and reduce negative public attitudes; and
4. improve the identification and treatment of at-risk college students so they can successfully complete their studies.

It is expected that this program will reduce the adverse consequences of SMI/SED and substance use disorders, including suicidal behavior, substance-related injuries, and school failure. 

Funds must be primarily used to support capacity building. Capacity building involves strengthening the ability of your organization to meet identified goals so that it can sustain or improve the delivery of services: 

• Create a network infrastructure (which includes a crisis response protocol and postvention plan) to link the institution of higher education with appropriately trained behavioral health care providers who treat mental and substance use disorders. The network shall include providers with knowledge of local behavioral health crisis response services (mobile response, crisis stabilization services, crisis lifeline call centers, and other support services), as well as traditional outpatient providers and emergency departments.  
• Develop a plan to seek input from relevant stakeholders in the community, and other appropriate public and private entities to implement the program. 
• Administer voluntary mental and substance use disorder screenings and assessments and provide information and referral services, as appropriate. 
• Train students, faculty, and staff to identify, respond effectively, and make appropriate referrals for students experiencing mental and substance use disorders, distress, crisis, or at risk of suicide. Trainings should be evidence based.
• Operate hotlines and/or promote access and the availability of 24/7 crisis services (phone/text/chatline) through local services and the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 
• Provide outreach services to inform students about mental and substance use disorder resources and services, including recovery support services and how these concepts vary across cultural groups. 
• Educate and disseminate informational materials to college students, families, faculty, and staff to increase awareness about suicide, suicide prevention, mental health promotion, substance misuse prevention, and mental and substance use disorders, and promote resiliency. 
• Develop and implement educational seminars for students to enhance life skills, resilience, and promote social connectedness that align with campus initiatives and activities.  
• Implement strategies to reduce access to lethal means among students with identified suicide risk.  
• Conduct an assessment of the mental health and substance use disorder needs of students.