© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Connecticut launches a mental health program for college students

Connecticut has launched a $2.7 million program to help college students with mental health problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The money is from the state’s federal COVID relief funds.

Mental health problems are at an all-time high among college students, according to Connecticut officials. Thirty-nine percent reported symptoms of depression last fall, and another 83% of students said their academic performance had been negatively affected.

That’s why the state has set up the Connecticut Campus Mental Health Program, said Governor Ned Lamont. It would help boost awareness of mental health services available to students, he said.

“Ninety percent of the kids were just so happy to get back to school. But for some of the kids it was incredibly stressful. We thought being with your friends was going to lower the temperature but in many cases it raised the temperature,” Lamont said.

It will take the pressure off emergency rooms that have become a first resort for many young people with mental health issues, Lamont said.

“So we're doing everything we can, and making it easier, making sure we have more beds. Making sure we have those trained specialists necessary to deal with those severe mental health issues," Lamont said.

The program is expected to help more than 130,000 undergraduate students in 28 colleges and universities across Connecticut.

Copyright 2021 WSHU. To see more, visit WSHU.

As WSHU Public Radio’s award-winning senior political reporter, Ebong Udoma draws on his extensive tenure to delve deep into state politics during a major election year. In addition to providing long-form reports and features for WSHU, he regularly contributes spot news to NPR, and has worked at the NPR National News Desk as part of NPR’s diversity initiative.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Related Content