The IU South Bend Student Counseling Center has been awarded a three-year transformative grant through the locally-based Valinhos Foundation. The grant will allow the campus to begin implementing an expanded mental health framework to improve support for the campus community of more than 4,600 students.
“We are so excited about the amazing opportunities and resources that will be provided for students at IU South Bend through this generous grant,” said Vice Chancellor for Student Engagement Kory Vitangeli. “We are immensely grateful for the opportunity to work with the Valinhos Foundation and look forward to an incredible partnership.”
The funding will establish a stepped-care approach for access to mental health care, community resources, and support. The services will be offered to students experiencing emotional and financial distress or lack of family and community support. This Titan Stepped Care approach will include:
- Consultation and mentorship with The Jed Foundation to gain recognition as a JED campus. JED works to protect emotional health and prevent suicide in teens and young adults.
- Creation of paid mental health and wellness focused student internship opportunities in various areas of campus.
- Establishment of a Titan Care Manager role within the Student Engagement Division that connects students with campus and community resources.
- Collaboration with the IU president’s Mental Health Task Force, IU students, faculty, staff, and community partners to promote mental health first aid awareness and education.
This grant is an opportunity to support IU South Bend’s efforts to address the mental health and well-being of the student community,” said Julie Veldman Harris, executive director of the Valinhos Foundation. “This grant fits with the goals of our foundation and will enable IU South Bend to prevent mental health challenges, increase the availability of care, and leverage evidence-based mental health care.”
The Valinhos Foundation aims to make a difference in Indiana by funding mental health initiatives focused on kids, young adults, and families.
Indiana University South Bend is the premier comprehensive public university dedicated to serving the needs of North Central Indiana and beyond. As a regional campus of Indiana University, IU South Bend provides a diverse population the opportunity to affordably earn a prestigious IU degree.
