Cuesta College was awarded a two-year $154,543 grant from the California Community College Student Mental Health Program to fund workshops, Web-based training and resources for faculty and staff who serve students with mental health challenges.

“This gives Cuesta an opportunity to be a frontrunner in changing the culture of all colleges to better understand and serve this student population,” said Kelsey Kehoe, Cuesta’s wellness arts program coordinator. Kehoe will oversee the project. Part of that project will include a new student club called Active Minds to increase awareness and reduce the stigma around students dealing with mental health challenges. Twentythree California community college campuses received grants ranging from $88,738 to $250,000 to address mental health and early intervention needs.