College Gets $494,000 Grant for Suicide Prevention

Tidewater Community College will use the federal funding to expand mental health referrals and crisis intervention training for students.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Financial Aid

Flat-color editorial illustration of a plain brick building with a single warmly lit open doorway at the end of a quiet path. — Tidewater Community College received a $494,000 federal SAMHSA grant to expand student suicide prevention training and referral partnerships through 2030. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Tidewater Community College has been awarded a $494,000 federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to fund its TCC SAMHSA Suicide Prevention Program. The four-year project, running from September 2026 to September 2030, aims to strengthen student suicide prevention efforts.

Why it matters

The grant targets gaps in how students in crisis are identified, supported and referred to care. Federal funding of this kind allows the college to expand training and partnerships beyond what its existing budget could support.

The grant is federal and administered through SAMHSA, with a target of 90% of referrals receiving follow-up within 30 days. The program is estimated to reach 5,000 students annually, though baseline figures for current referral follow-up were not provided.

The players

Tidewater Community College

A public community college in Hampton Roads, Virginia, serving the Tidewater region with associate degrees and workforce programs.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

A division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that funds behavioral health prevention and treatment programs nationwide.

NAMI Coastal Virginia

The local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, providing support and education to families and individuals in coastal Virginia.

The details

The project trains about 300 faculty and staff, 100 student leaders and 25 community partners to recognize signs of mental distress and intervene when students are in crisis. It also builds referral connections with local and state mental health organizations, including the Western Tidewater Community Services Board, Jewish Family Services of Tidewater, NAMI Coastal Virginia and the Campus Suicide Prevention Center of Virginia.

September 2026: Grant-funded project begins.
September 2030: Four-year grant project ends.

Policy Context

The award follows the campus-focused federal suicide prevention grant model administered by SAMHSA, which funds colleges to build screening, referral and staff training systems. The TCC project applies that framework to a two-year public college in the Hampton Roads region.

Students at Tidewater Community College may see expanded mental health referral options and staff trained to recognize distress across the campus. Students elsewhere in Virginia may find similar support as partner organizations extend their referral networks statewide.

The takeaway

Campus mental health support depends on connecting students to services before a crisis escalates. Students who notice signs of distress in a peer can contact their campus counseling office or a local crisis line for guidance.