SUNY Chancellor King Launches Interactive Mental Health Resource Finder as Part of Mental Health Awareness Month
May 11, 2026
Interactive Directory Provides SUNY Students, Faculty, and Staff with a Localized, Searchable Path to Mental Health Support and Crisis Resources
Albany, NY — In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month, State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today launched the SUNY Mental Health Resource Finder to help support students, faculty, and staff, as well as concerned loved ones, more easily access mental health support systems and essential resources. The initiative aligns with SUNY's goals to reduce mental health stigma and provide essential support for those living with mental health conditions.
"Ensuring SUNY students, educators, and staff all have vital information and access to mental health support resources and services is an essential part of achieving student success," said SUNY Chancellor King. "As we mark Mental Health Awareness Month, this new resource guide will make it easier for students and their loved ones to know what resources are available on campuses throughout New York State. SUNY will continue to do everything in our power to support our students and guarantee their access to resources and personnel able to address mental health struggles or crises."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "College is a stressful time, and that is why it is essential that we do everything possible for our students, including ensuring they can easily access mental health resources and staff whenever needed. This resource finder builds on actions taken by SUNY to support students' mental health, and with the investment and leadership of Governor Hochul and the State Legislature."
The Mental Health Resource Finder is an interactive directory designed to support SUNY students, faculty, and staff in locating services both on and off campus. Users can search by service type and location to access SUNY Campus Counseling Centers, county-based services, and statewide and national mental health resources. Users can filter the directory by specialized categories, including addiction treatment and emergency services, or access dedicated support for specific groups such as student parents and student athletes. An integrated feedback feature allows users to provide real-time feedback on any listed resource. The launch further expands SUNY's prevention efforts, which include SUNY's Suicide Prevention Training Module, a free resource that helps equip campus communities with a simplified risk-screening process to aid in early detection and crisis prevention.
These digital tools are part of SUNY's ongoing efforts to support students, faculty, and staff, and ensure that anyone experiencing mental health concerns has access to resources and networks that provide assistance. In January, Chancellor King launched the SUNY Mental Health First Aid Grant Program, which provides targeted funding to strengthen campus-wide approaches to student mental health and well-being. In February, SUNY announced the expansion of SUNY's Mental Health Internship Program to provide paid, hands-on learning opportunities for community college students pursuing careers in mental and behavioral health. In July 2025, Chancellor King announced the fourth class of SUNY/OMH Scholarship Program recipients, as part of the SUNY effort to strengthen the pipeline of mental health professionals from diverse backgrounds, with a focus on serving New Yorkers who may have historically lacked access to quality mental health care.
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, said "A resource is only useful if it meets people where they are. A student from Stony Brook and a student from Buffalo are not searching for the same thing, and the Mental Health Resource Finder recognizes that. It is a practical tool built around how people actually look for help. I thank Chancellor King and the SUNY team for designing a resource that respects how different every student's path to support can be."
State Senator Lea Webb said, "I applaud Chancellor King for his continued efforts to support mental health on SUNY campuses. With the introduction of the Mental Health Resource Finder, SUNY students, faculty, and staff will have an interactive resource at their fingertips to help them locate timely, compassionate support for their mental health. As a member of the Senate's Mental Health Committee, I am proud to support funding for programs like this one, which are designed to ensure easy access to mental health resources."
State Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, said, "Navigating the complexities of higher education is challenging enough without the added burden of searching for elusive mental health care. The new SUNY Mental Health Resource Finder is a start, providing a centralized, localized nexus of support. As Chair of the Higher Education Committee, I thank Chancellor King for recognizing that academic persistence is inextricably linked to holistic well-being. By placing these resources directly at the fingertips of our students, faculty, and staff, we are not just mitigating crises—we are cultivating an environment where every individual is empowered to thrive. It is my hope that all areas of the state have adequate access."
SUNY campus mental health initiatives are further supported by State investment by Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature. The SUNY Board of Trustees currently allocates $10 million in recurring annual funding to expand mental health services at state-operated campuses and $3 million in recurring annual funding for community college mental health services. Additionally, all SUNY campuses include the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on the back of all student ID cards to ensure students have immediate, 24/7 access to emergency support.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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