UW’s Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center received a 5-year grant amounting to $125,000 a year from the US Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The funding commenced on September 30, 2021.
The grant will prioritize providing mental health awareness and de-escalation training, as well as connecting with mental health organizations for referrals.
Lena Newlin, assistant director at the Wellness Center, said that the need for student mental health awareness has increased during the pandemic.
According to national data from Active Minds in September of 2020, 60% of a national sample of college students reported worsening mental health since the start of the pandemic. 87% reported experiencing stress or anxiety due to COVID-19.
“There is a critical need to better address UW student mental health. Our data show that UW students are experiencing significant mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, loneliness, and hopelessness,” Newlin said.
Pat Moran, director of the Wellness Center, said that Newlin worked to secure the grant.
“Lena Newlin has done an amazing job securing a grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services that will promote mental health awareness training on campus,” Moran said. “This will have a positive impact on the UW campus and the Laramie community for years to come.”
The funding from the grant will support the Wellness Center’s proposal, “UW Mental Health Awareness Training (UWMHAT) Project,” which aims to increase mental health awareness and skills to appropriately respond to mental disorders, establish linkages to mental health providers, and decrease the stigma around mental health services.
“We will be able to hire one full-time coordinator who will become an instructor for Mental Health First Aid. We will also be able to create educational materials that will help connect people to mental health resources, and a social marketing campaign to decrease stigma,” Newlin said.
Dr. Julio Brionez, counselor and assistant director at the University Counseling Center, said that mental health awareness is important for students to be able to handle everyday stress and worries.
“You also will have the awareness and knowledge to know when your typical supports and healthy habits are not enough, and it may be time to call a therapist,” Brionez said.
With funding from the grant, the Wellness Center will also train campus and community members in the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program.
The 8-hour MHFA training focuses on teaching participants how to identify and respond to signs of substance abuse and mental illness, as well as de-escalation strategies and providing skills to help individuals connect with appropriate resources.
“We expect to train at least 475 people in the Mental Health First Aid program. This training will increase awareness and skills among the UW and Laramie community to appropriately and safely respond to individuals with mental challenges,” Newlin said.
Newlin said that the Wellness Center expects to train professionals, students and caregivers that interact with UW students.
“It would be helpful to see workshops and courses for mental health to be commonplace at UW, like cycling classes at Half Acre where students learn and practice valuable techniques to maintain their psychological fortitude,” Brionez said. “Then, to take that knowledge and share with K-12 students to create a healthier community in Wyoming.”
By the end of the 5-year grant period, the Wellness Center aims to achieve several outcomes, including having 90% of Laramie-area law enforcement officers trained in MHFA, 70% of UW students reporting awareness of at least one mental health resource, and increasing the percentage of UW students reporting being diagnosed or treated by a professional for mental health conditions by 10%.
