BREMERTON, Wash. – A $12,000 grant from the Bainbridge Community Foundation will expand access to mental health training at Olympic College, supporting the college’s Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program and helping equip students and employees with the skills to recognize signs of mental health and substance use challenges and connect people with appropriate support.
The grant will fund the certification of an Olympic College faculty member as a Mental Health First Aid instructor, enabling the college to provide free training to up to 300 participants.
“We're grateful to the Bainbridge Community Foundation for its generous support of this much-needed program,” said Olympic College President Chantae Recasner. “This funding will help us expand access to valuable mental health training and strengthen our campus community’s ability to recognize when someone may need support.”
Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based, nationally recognized training program that teaches participants to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health or substance abuse challenges without diagnosing or providing therapy. Instruction is delivered by OC faculty, not outside contractors, which is more sustainable, cost-effective and more deeply embedded in campus culture.
Grant funding has supported the Mental Health First Aid program since 2019. Since its launch, the program has served approximately 60 participants per quarter, providing members of the college community with practical skills to support themselves and others.
"Support for mental health services was identified as a priority area in Bainbridge Community Foundation’s annual nonprofit survey," said Debbie Kuffel, BCF Program & Finance Officer. "It is BCF's privilege to be able to help meet that need through this year's Community Grants Cycle grant to Olympic College to support their Mental Health First Aid program!"
Mental health challenges affect people across all stages of life, and college students can face significant barriers to accessing care. Olympic College serves a diverse student population, including individuals navigating financial hardship, housing instability and limited access to mental health resources. Expanding access to MHFA training helps strengthen the college’s capacity to respond to these challenges and connect people with appropriate support.
The next training session will be held on Tues., Nov. 17, at the OC Bremerton campus. For more information about Mental Health First Aid at Olympic College, visit the Well-Being and Health Promotion webpage.
To learn more about the Bainbridge Community Foundation and its community grantmaking, visit the BCF website.
