Governor Kathy Hochul on June 24th, announced $8 million in recurring annual funding for the State University of New York’s 30 community colleges — the first increase in nearly a decade — to advance health care and mental health goals for New York State and the SUNY system. $5 million will be used to support investments by community colleges to increase enrollment in and completion of health care educational programs, supporting the Governor’s goal of increasing the State’s health care workforce by 20 percent over the next 5 years. The remaining $3 million will be used to expand mental health support for SUNY students, which is consistently identified as a critical campus need.

“This investment in our community colleges is another massive step to building the best public education institution in the country, meeting the needs of our students to succeed in high demand jobs across our state,” Governor Hochul said. “Leading in health care is critical for New Yorkers, and this funding is setting up more students to succeed with strong academic programs and resources for their own mental health and wellbeing.”

State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said, “This funding will help bolster enrollment by investing in the growing need for health care workers. The SUNY Community Colleges will have the opportunity to educate students in an area that is in need of an educated workforce to help reduce projected shortages. All New Yorkers will benefit.”

Assemblymember Patricia Fahy said, “Investing in our community colleges means investing in our communities across New York and in student success. As a first-generation college graduate, community college was vital in my path towards attaining a higher education and unlocks doors for thousands of students every year, especially those from disadvantaged and untraditional backgrounds. This year’s funding increase is a reflection of the important role community colleges play here in New York State, and I look forward to working with my colleague Senator Toby Ann Stavisky and more to continue this progress and secure further aid in the future.”

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. celebrated this significant investment in community colleges with a visit to SUNY Broome’s Decker Health Science Center. SUNY Broome will invest its $450,000 allocation to expand its nursing education program to serve 45 percent more students each year — from 132 this recent academic year to 192 students by 2026-2027 — and to hire a case manager who will focus on the mental health needs of students.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “Increased state investment in SUNY’s community colleges will prepare students for high-demand health care careers – helping to fill a critical shortage – and expand mental health services to increase student well-being and success. I extend my appreciation to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for their continued investment in the success of SUNY and the students we serve, and ultimately the success of our entire state.”

SUNY Board Trustee Eric Corngold said, “We must get ahead of the health care workforce shortage to ensure sustainable, high-quality care for the patients of New York and future generations ahead. I am proud to serve as a member of the SUNY Board of Trustees as we continue to find solutions to address some of the biggest issues affecting our students and our state.”

SUNY Board Trustee Robert Duffy said, “With ongoing financial support from Governor Hochul and the state legislature, we will continue to find ways to bolster access to the health care workforce, and address campus mental health concerns, all while ensuring all New Yorkers have access to high-quality, affordable public higher education.”

SUNY Broome Community College President and member of the Future of Healthcare Workforce Task Force Tony Hawkins said, “SUNY Broome plays an absolutely vital role in training health care professionals who go on to do some of society's most essential work in medical facilities throughout the state. We thank the SUNY system for the opportunity to provide more future nursing students with access to the College's outstanding and highly competitive nursing programs and ultimately help alleviate the ongoing healthcare worker shortage. We also deeply appreciate being able to expand our mental health resources, as there is no greater priority to us than the mental and social emotional well-being of our students.”

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “Our network of SUNY Community Colleges is the perfect vehicle for the state’s workforce development initiatives. They stand ready to expand training opportunities in healthcare and other critical shortage areas. This new funding will support SUNY Broome’s excellent healthcare curriculum, while also providing needed mental health resources for students. I’d like to thank Chancellor King for spending time with us today highlighting the importance of our community colleges.”

Assemblymember Joe Angelino said, “The health care worker shortage hurts everyone in New York, we must do everything in our power to help attract more individuals to the health care field. Investing in our young people to get involved is a great use of resources. I am also very pleased to see they are addressing the mental health crisis occurring across the country and in New York.”

Healthcare Workforce Investments

To meet Governor Hochul’s ambitious goal and work to find solutions to address the shortage of health care professionals, SUNY convened the "Future of Health Care Workforce Task Force," which focused on expanding SUNY's educational capacity in health care professions, strengthening the pathways and pipelines for students interested in health care, and innovating and aligning education with health care industry needs.

Each campus will receive a maximum of $350,000 with a minimum award of $75,000 from the $5 million recurring health care workforce investments, which will help SUNY’s community colleges:

• Hire faculty and expand or establish new healthcare programs;
• Enhance simulation spaces;
• Establish new partnerships/pathways with other SUNY campus health programs; and
• Create partnerships between the campuses and the communities they serve, including high schools, local organizations, BOCES and campus-employer partnerships.

Mental Health Investments

Mental health is a significant challenge for many college students across the nation and SUNY. The 2023 annual national Healthy Minds Survey, which surveys college students, reported students deal with depression and anxiety at a rate of 41 percent and 36 percent respectively. About two-thirds of SUNY community colleges currently have counseling centers and some use tele-counseling services to break down barriers to mental health care and address local shortages of mental health professionals.

Each community college will receive $100,000 annually from the $3 million mental health investments to:

• Hire new mental health professionals and staff;
• Provide new or expand on virtual tele-health counseling efforts;
• Provide wellness initiatives embedded in workforce development and/or college-to career transition programming; and
• Develop or enhancing initiatives to destigmatize seeking mental health 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 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, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire 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 $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.