Heartland Gets $99,778 for Student Mental Health
The Illinois Community College Board's FY27 grant will fund wellness tools, crisis counseling and expanded regional services at Heartland.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Financial Aid
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Heartland Community College was awarded $99,778 from the Illinois Community College Board's FY27 College Student Mental Health & Success Initiative Grant. The funding will support free online wellness tools and after-hours crisis counseling for students.
Why it matters
The grant reflects a statewide push to strengthen mental health support at Illinois community colleges, with up to 22 schools expected to receive awards of up to $100,000 each. For Illinois students, it signals expanded access to counseling beyond traditional campus office hours.
The Illinois Community College Board's FY27 College Student Mental Health & Success Initiative Grant totals $99,778 for Heartland, while each participating school may receive up to $100,000. Up to 22 Illinois community colleges are anticipated to receive awards, but the stub does not detail how the total will be finalized.
The players
Heartland Community College
A public community college serving central Illinois with regional centers in Lincoln and Pontiac.
Illinois Community College Board
The state agency that coordinates and funds Illinois' community college system, including this statewide mental health grant program.
The details
The grant will fund free online wellness tools for Heartland students and connect them with after-hours, weekend and holiday crisis counselors. It will also expand services at Heartland's regional centers in Lincoln and Pontiac, supporting the statewide emphasis on building support networks and faculty training.
Timeline
July 1, 2026: Grant coverage period begins.
Sept. 15, 2027: Grant coverage period ends.
Season Trajectory
This award is a concrete application of the Illinois Community College Board's FY27 College Student Mental Health & Success Initiative Grant, which anticipates up to 22 campus awards statewide. It extends that program from a state-level initiative into individual campus services at Heartland.
Heartland students in Lincoln and Pontiac can use free online wellness tools and reach crisis counselors after hours, weekends and holidays. The expanded regional center services may make counseling easier to access without travel to the main campus.
The takeaway
Students who need mental health support can look to their campus wellness resources, which are expanding with state funding through the 2027 grant period. Checking what online and after-hours services your college offers can help you plan ahead.
Further reading
For more on how state funding reaches college students, see Financial Aid coverage for Illinois.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wglt.
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