SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) has provided more than $3.6 million to 32 Illinois Community Colleges to support student mental health in 2025. These funds will introduce new services, augment existing practices, and target service gaps to help meet the mental health needs of thousands of students on community college campuses across the state.
“We know many college students nationwide face mental health challenges. A recent U.S. News survey revealed nearly 70% of college students report struggling with their mental health. This investment will help community colleges better meet the needs of students outside the classroom, contributing to their success in the classroom, said ICCB executive director Brian Durham.
A 2023 Healthy Minds Study, which surveyed 800 campuses across the country found that 41% of college students screened positive for clinically significant symptoms of depression and 1 in 3 college students screened positive for anxiety.
The Lumina Foundation State of Higher Education 2024 Report indicates that 64% of currently enrolled students who recently considered stopping out of their program say emotional stress or mental health concerns are significant reasons why.
These Illinois community colleges applied for and are receiving MHEAC funding this fiscal year.
| Grant Recipient | Amount |
| Black Hawk College | $119,967 |
| College of Lake County | $120,000 |
| Harold Washington College | $120,000 |
| Harry S. Truman College | $120,000 |
| Heartland Community College | $119,890 |
| Highland Community College | $119,151 |
| Illinois Central College | $119,796 |
| Joliet Jr. College | $120,000 |
| Kankakee Community College | $120,000 |
| Kaskaskia College | $120,000 |
| Kennedy-King College | $119,847 |
| Kishwaukee College | $40,000 |
| Lake Land College | $71,295 |
| Lincoln Land Community College | $120,000 |
| Malcolm X College | $120,000 |
| McHenry County College | $118,788 |
| Moraine Valley Community College | $120,000 |
| Morton College | $120,000 |
| Oakton College | $100,280 |
| Olive-Harvey College | $119,968 |
| Parkland College | $119,710 |
| Rend Lake College | $54,524 |
| Richard J. Daley College | $119,995 |
| Richland Community College | $120,000 |
| Rock Valley College | $120,000 |
| Sauk Valley Community College | $120,000 |
| South Suburban College | $120,000 |
| Southwestern Illinois College | $120,000 |
| Spoon River College | $105,600 |
| Triton College | $120,000 |
| Wilbur Wright College | $120,000 |
| William Rainey Harper College | $119,699 |
| Total Allocations | $3,608,510 |
All colleges receiving funds will use them in at least one of four ways:
- Develop and expand peer support programs.
- Expand the number of students served through local partnerships
- Develop and expand mental health services targeting service gaps, emphasizing underserved students.
- Develop Medicaid and other reimbursement procedures for mental health services.
About the Illinois Community College Board
The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) is the state coordinating organization for the Illinois Community College System – the third largest in the country and the leading public workforce development trainer in the state. The ICCB has statutory responsibility for administering state and federal grants to community college districts and adult education providers and managing high school equivalency testing for Illinois. Illinois community colleges serve over 600,000 residents each year in credit, noncredit, and continuing education courses. Illinois is home to 48 colleges in 39 community college districts which provide high quality, accessible, cost-effective educational opportunities to the entire state.
