Article
June 22, 2026
UNC Awarded Grant Funding for Telemental Health Platform
UNC's Student Affairs has been awarded a $70,000 grant from The Weld Trust to implement a telemental health platform available to all students
The University of Northern Colorado (UNC)’s Office of Student Affairs has been awarded a $70,000 grant from The Weld Trust to implement a telemental health platform available to all students, starting this August. The grant application was a collaborative effort between Student Affairs and UNC’s Development staff.
The new app-based platform will supplement 1) the clinical services that have been historically offered to students in the UNC Counseling Center and the Psychological Services Clinic as well as 2) UNC’s other mental health resources for community members.
Key features of the new platform include:
- Immediate access to mental health professionals via 24/7 crisis phone and text lines, with services offered in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin and Cantonese. UNC Counseling Center staff will be alerted of calls to the crisis line so they can offer follow-up support.
- After-hours crisis consultation line for faculty, staff, family, friends or others who are concerned or need guidance about the mental health of a student.
- Short-term online counseling on request for students in 100+ languages, with an improved ability to match students to therapists that match the student’s preferences for lived experience or culture of the therapist. Because the platform includes clinicians licensed in every U.S. state, these clinicians will be able to support UNC students studying outside of Colorado.
- An online chatroom, where students in need of help can give and receive help from other students online across the country. This e-space will be monitored by a mental health clinician to ensure students who are experiencing safety risks are appropriately supported.
The platform is scheduled to launch on August 1, and more specific information will be shared at that time.
Grants from The Weld Trust and other private foundations are awarded to the UNC Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing support and stewarding donations for the university.
