The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation announced on March 18 that they will donate $850,000 in the form of a challenge grant to increase mental health services at Southern Utah University.
A challenge grant entails that the recipient must complete guidelines set by the donating group before they can receive the funds. In this case, the challenge takes the form of matching funds, which means that donations received for mental health causes at SUU will be matched by the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation up to $850,000.
SUU President Mindy Benson spoke on the donation, stating, “We appreciate the Miller Family Foundation and their generous gift for the wellbeing of our T-Bird community. There is a crucial need for accessible mental health resources in our region, and we want all of our students to have access to quality mental health care.”
The university currently offers several mental health resources for students and faculty alike. The main on-campus resource for those in need of assistance is the office of Counseling and Psychological Services, which is located on the second floor of the Benion Building. SUU also offers several online resources such as Trula, which has been described as a mental health social media platform. The university also offers access to Timely Care, a website connecting those in need to a licensed counselor in as little as five minutes.
The official funding page for the drive lists the expenses that mental health resources on campus currently require. These expenses include a five-year contract with Timely Care costing $1.4 million, question-persuade-refer suicide training which costs $125,000 and sun therapy lamps at $2,500.
Those interested in donating can do so here.
Author: Aidan Mortensen
Photo courtesy of SUU
Editor: Anna Mower
news@suunews.net