Bell today announced the launch of the Bell Let’s Talk Post-Secondary Fund to support Canadian colleges and universities in implementing the National Standard of Canada for Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students. Post-secondary institutions can now apply for a kickoff grant to cover start-up costs associated with implementing the Standard, followed by the opportunity to seek funding for specific student mental health initiatives this spring.

The Post-Secondary Fund will help universities and colleges build on their existing efforts to support student mental health by implementing the Standard’s framework. Covering initial costs associated with adopting the Standard, the kickoff grants are intended to encourage as many institutions as possible to be early adopters. The application period closes February 26.

This spring, Bell Let’s Talk will launch a second phase of the Post-Secondary Fund for institutions that have used the Standard to identify specific gaps or needs in their mental health support services and built new initiatives to address them.