For second year, Central celebrated for excellence in mental health and well-being services
CCSUNews
For second year, Central celebrated for excellence in mental health and well-being services
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Aug. 6, 2026
New Britain, Conn. - Central Connecticut State University is one of 37 recipients nationwide of the 2026 Insight Into Academia Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award. The university will be featured with the other award recipients in the September 2026 issue of the Insight Into Academia magazine.
The Insight Into Academia Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award recognizes campuses that are embedding mental health into the fabric of campus life through accessible services, peer support, proactive policies, and programs that build lasting resilience for their students, faculty, and staff. The award is a measure of an institution’s individual programs and initiatives that significantly advance core values of student and employee mental health and well-being.
In its award application, Central’s Counseling and Student Development Department highlighted its comprehensive and student-centered approach to mental health and well-being. Among the strengths recognized were timely access to counseling services, expanded staffing to meet the growing demand for care, and high student satisfaction with counseling services.
The application also underscored the university’s commitment to fostering a campus-wide culture of support. Through partnerships such as Wheeler Clinic, Central has provided faculty and staff with Mental Health First Aid and trauma-informed training.
Beyond clinical services, the university also emphasized the role of overall wellness in promoting a healthy campus climate through prevention-focused programs and outreach. Signature initiatives such as Fresh Check Day, therapy dog visits, puppy yoga sessions, and the My Best Self Fair engage students in conversations about mental health while connecting them with resources that support well-being.
Expanded staffing with the Counseling and Student Development Department has boosted these efforts. The department now includes an interim associate director who maintains a student caseload, 11 counselors, and two interns who will join the team this fall.
"We are honored to receive this award for the second consecutive year,” says Kristen Dignazio-Drost, interim director of Counseling and Student Development. “This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment, hard work, and dedication to fostering a campus community that prioritizes the mental health and well-being of our students, as well as our faculty and staff.”
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