Hudson County Community College Receives the Insight Into Academia ‘Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being’ Award
August 11, 2026
August 11, 2026, Jersey City, NJ – For the second year in a row, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) has earned
the Insight Into Academia Magazine’s “Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being” Award. The national honor highlights
institutions that demonstrate outstanding commitment to fostering a culture of care
for students, faculty, and staff through innovative programs and initiatives.
Hudson County Community College (HCCC) is the recipient of the Insight Into Academia 2026 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award. This Spring, the HCCC Mental Health Counseling & Wellness Office partnered with the Active Minds Club to bring “Send Silence Packing®” to the College. The program encourages breaking the silence surrounding mental health and suicide.
The College provides a roster of holistic, accessible, and equity-centered mental health and wellness services. These include:
- The HCCC Mental Health Counseling and Wellness Center, that utilizes a comprehensive, stigma-free approach for managing stress, anxiety, and/or depression, and improving wellness. The Center offers free, confidential in-person and virtual counseling sessions, 24/7 crisis hotlines, and teletherapy through partnerships such as Uwill.
- TalkCampus, which features global, peer-to-peer support in a safe, anonymous environment.
- Mental Health First Aid training, that educated 415 staff members and 118 students in how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders.
- Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) training, that provided instruction about crisis warning signs and intervention for 168 staff members and 237 students.
- Social work interns, who expand capacity for wellness mindfulness and care.
- Wraparound supports provided through Hudson Helps Resource Center that include food pantries, housing assistance, a Career Closet, transportation, emergency funding, and Chromebooks.
- Employee resource groups, flexible work schedules, and professional development for faculty and staff.
“We are steadfast in ensuring innovative, collaborative, and culturally responsive practices are available to everyone at the College,” said HCCC Interim President Dr. Lisa Dougherty. “This includes strengthening partnerships, enhancing early intervention and outreach, and embedding mental health and wellness supports. We are grateful to the staff who work to develop and provide sustainable, coordinated care models.”
“We know that institutions are not always recognized for their dedication to and prioritizing mental health and well-being services and support for their students and employees,” said Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia. “We are proud to honor the colleges and universities who are standouts as the need for these resources continues to grow substantially.”
The College will be featured in the September 2026 issue of Insight Into Academia magazine. For more information about the 2026 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award, visit insightintoacademia.com.