By Judy Lin - Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, June 14, 2007

Hoping to prevent tragedies such as the April slaughter at Virginia Tech in which a mentally ill gunman killed 32 students and teachers, a state mental health commission will vote today on a four-year, $60 million initiative that would expand suicide and violence-prevention programs at schools and colleges across California.

The proposal, which is expected to be approved by the 12-member Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, would provide peer-to-peer support, training and awareness in K-12 classrooms and public higher education institutions.

"It shouldn't take a tragedy like Virginia Tech to compel action, but there can be a silver lining out of such a horrible tragedy," said Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, author of Proposition 63, also known as the Mental Health Services Act.

Lawmakers, college officials and mental health advocates say mental health services at schools and campuses are decreasing as a growing number of students are suffering in silence.

According to a 2004 UC Berkeley graduate student survey, 10 percent of those surveyed seriously contemplated suicide in the previous 12 months. And 45 percent experienced an emotional or stress-related problem that significantly affected their well-being and academic performance.

In 2005, a University of California assessment found that the number of students seeking counseling and psychological services has grown, in some cases by 50 percent, while a number of UC campuses had cut services.

Advocates are hoping the initiative -- $34 million for higher education and $26 million for K-12 education -- will inspire schools, foundations and other organizations to expand existing programs or adopt new ones because the grants require a matching fund. The money will come from Proposition 63, which levies a 1 percent tax on millionaires.

Steinberg said possible proposals include adding 24-hour student-run crisis hotlines, and expanding hours for drop-in crisis centers.

Whether it's poor self-image, the loss of relationships, or a death in the family, many students struggle emotionally and psychologically during their academic years.

"I think the blue-skies stereotype of high schoolers and college kids is that these are the best years of their lives," said Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View. "But the reality is much different."

Adam Ojakian was a 21-year-old physics major at UC Davis when he shot himself in 2004. Although there were no signs of mental illness, his father, Victor, said his son suffered inside.

Now a parent activist, Victor Ojakian said the grants could help reduce the stigma of mental illness and inspire other students to seek help. He said it's critical to reach young people because most mental illnesses are diagnosed by the age of 24.

Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi, D-Castro Valley, whose older sister hanged herself at age 17, said she hopes the grants will bridge the gap between the initial onset of mental illnesses and treatment.

"We have to learn to recognize the early signs and symptoms," Hayashi said, "as we do with childhood colds or flu."