The Southwest Prevention Center at the University of Oklahoma Outreach in Norman has received a five-year, $50 million grant to lead the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.
The grant, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, under HSS, renews the university’s role overseeing the center, which offers technical assistance, educational resources and capacity-building support for communities, health systems and organizations.
“This grant represents far more than funding — it is a profound commitment to saving lives and strengthening communities across our nation,” Belinda Biscoe, PhD, senior associate vice president for outreach said. “The significance of this award is national in scope, but deeply personal in its impact — it is about offering hope, reducing suffering, and ensuring that every life is valued and protected.”
Marie Cox, director of the Southwest Prevention Center, said SPRC trains more than 14,000 people annually and logged 1.7 million website views over the past five years.
University officials said the center will continue collaborating with organizations such as the Education Development Center, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing to build suicide prevention capacity across the U.S.
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