PCC Earns Nearly $1.7 Million For Mental Health Initiatives As Nursing Wins Big Honor (Photo) -12/17/24
PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Community College’s Family and Human Services and Addiction Studies programs recently received $1.675 million from the U.S. Department of Education. This grant supports mental health and community wellness efforts, benefiting PCC students and the broader Portland community as mental health challenges continue to rise.
In addition, PCC is the first community college west of the Rockies to earn national accreditation for human services education, awarded by the Council for Standards in Human Service Education. This news comes as, according to a Community College Survey of Student Engagement, 66% of students reported feeling “anxious, nervous, or on edge.” This funding and accreditation allows PCC to address such concerns by expanding its mental health literacy efforts, equipping students and the community with the tools to foster safer environments.
The grant funds a new fall term seven-credit “Foundations in Behavioral Health” course series, designed for completion within a single term. The program includes “Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training” and “Mental Health First Aid” classes as core components. These practical courses provide entry-level skills for students in various human service roles, preparing them to assist those in crisis and connect them with more professionalized support.
“This program is ideal for anyone, including current community service workers, case managers and peer recovery mentors,” said Andrew Garland-Forshee, chair of PCC's Family and Human Services Program. “These courses enable professionals and students to quickly gain skills and certifications to supplement or up-skill their careers.”
For more information on PCC's offerings, visit the Family and Human Services webpage.
Nursing Program Ranked No. 1
The college has earned the distinction of being the top-ranked registered nursing program in the United States, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).
This ranking reflects the program’s preparation of students, culminating in consistently high pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), a critical certification for aspiring nurses. The NCSBN also ranked PCC first among 2,228 programs nationally and tops among 30 programs in Oregon in its 2023-2024 program reports.
“We are all so excited for our students and incredibly proud of our faculty and staff,” said Janeen Hull, dean of the Academic and Career Pathways, Health and Emergency Professions Pathway. “It’s really a reflection of the time, energy and efforts of our amazing team, who are truly dedicated to preparing students for success.”
Over the past 15 years, PCC’s nursing graduates have maintained NCLEX first-time pass rates exceeding 90%. In 2023, the program achieved a 100% pass rate, then a 91% pass rate in 2024. While other schools may achieve high pass rates in a given year, Program Dean Adam Wright emphasized that such “sustained performance is rare among nursing programs.”
For more information visit pcc.edu/programs/nursing .
About Portland Community College: Founded in 1961, Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to more than 50,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, 10 education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.
Visit PCC news on the web at http://news.pcc.edu/
