The College’s new initiative, supported by a four-year federal grant, will expand counseling access, strengthen campus support systems, and provide additional resources for student success.
Culver-Stockton College is launching Culver CARES (Creating Access, Resilience, Engagement, and Support), a new initiative that will expand mental health resources, strengthen prevention efforts, and help students access support throughout their college experience.
The initiative is made possible through a four-year Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), representing approximately $498,000 in anticipated federal funding.
“Student success is about much more than what happens in the classroom,” said Vice President for Student Experience Ricky Kirby. “We want students to feel connected, know where to turn when they need help, and have the resources to navigate the challenges that come with college life. Culver CARES is another way we are investing in our students, not only when they need help, but also throughout their time at Culver-Stockton.”
A significant component of Culver CARES is the expansion of the College’s existing Counseling and Wellness Services. The initiative will establish a new full-time Behavioral Health Coordinator position, extend the Director of Counseling and Wellness Services position from 10 to 12 months, and introduce a student telehealth counseling program.
The telehealth program will complement existing campus services by providing students with additional access to licensed mental health professionals, including when they are away from campus or when traditional campus counseling services are unavailable.
“One of the most important things we can do is make it easier for students to reach out and receive support when they need it,” said Director of Counseling and Wellness Services Kristen McReynolds. “Every student’s experience is different, and having additional resources allows us to be more responsive to those individual needs. Whether a student needs someone to talk to, help navigating a difficult situation, or a connection to additional care, we want them to know there are people and resources here for them.”
Culver CARES will also engage students, faculty, staff, coaches, and campus partners in a coordinated approach to mental health education, prevention, and wellness. Through Mental Health First Aid training, two College employees will become certified instructors, allowing
C-SC to provide ongoing training for faculty, staff, coaches, resident assistants, and student leaders.
Additional resources will include an electronic behavioral health screening platform to support early identification and referral, the Wildcat Wellness Speaker Series, and student-centered initiatives. Educational outreach will take place throughout the academic year, including during Mental Health Awareness Month and Suicide Prevention Month.
The College will also strengthen its crisis response and postvention planning, establish a Community Stakeholder Advisory Council, and expand collaboration with community behavioral health partners. The goal is to make it easier for students to find help, for faculty and staff to recognize when someone may need support, and for the College to respond effectively.
“We want to create a campus community where looking out for one another comes naturally,” McReynolds added. “When students, faculty, coaches, and staff have the knowledge and confidence to recognize when someone may be struggling, we create more opportunities to connect that person with help. Those connections can make an extraordinary difference.”
“We pursued this funding because we saw an opportunity to do even more for our students and build upon the resources already in place,” Kirby said. “We are grateful to SAMHSA for supporting that vision. Culver CARES is an investment in our students today and in the resources we will have available to future generations of Wildcats.”
Federal Funding Acknowledgment
This project is supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under award number 1H79SM091905-01. The contents of this release are those of Culver-Stockton College and do not necessarily represent the official views of SAMHSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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NOTE: A number that appears immediately after a person’s name (i.e. Jane Doe ’18) is a reference to the year that person earned their bachelor’s degree from Culver-Stockton.