Dr. Ken Browner poses with Reach Out mobile app promotion.

Lakeland Community College and Dr. Ken Browner, campus psychologist, have been honored with the inaugural Outstanding Campus-Community Collaborative Grantee Award from the Ohio Program for Campus Safety and Mental Health (OPCSMH). The award recognizes exceptional leadership and impact in fostering campus community collaboration to promote mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and advance suicide prevention initiatives.

The award celebrates Dr. Browner's commitment and work in developing the Reach Out mobile app, which provides 24/7 access to mental health resources and crisis support. Initially created in 2015 by dedicated Lakeland Alumni through an OPCSMH Campus-Community Collaborative Grant in partnership with the Lake County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board, Lakeland has since expanded its impact by customizing the app for sixteen other Ohio colleges and universities.

“Working on this project over the past decade has been an amazing learning experience for me, and I have enjoyed collaborating with so many others at the college, across Lake County, and throughout the state," said Dr. Browner. "It has been very gratifying to see the Reach Out app's widespread positive impact in addressing college student mental health and suicide prevention."

Reach Out has revolutionized how college communities access critical mental health support. The app provides instant crisis intervention tools, educational resources on suicide prevention, inspirational recovery stories, and campus-specific mental health services—all available at the touch of a button.

Since its launch, Lakeland's version of the app has been downloaded more than 5,000 times, with over 2,200 users accessing suicide prevention information and 550 users connecting to crisis hotlines. Across all partnering institutions, the app has enabled nearly 18,000 users to access educational resources and connected more than 7,000 users to crisis support services. This past Fall, a redesigned version of Reach Out was released featuring a new user interface and additional support resources.

What began as a campus initiative has evolved into a statewide movement, with continued support from organizations including the Lakeland Foundation, the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund, the Ohio Department of Higher Education, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation.

The award will be presented at the OPCSMH Biennial Conference: The Evolving Landscape of Campus Behavioral Health, in Dublin, Ohio on May 15, 2025.

ABOUT REACH OUT

Reach Out provides quick access to crisis hotlines, coping skills, counseling referrals, and other vital resources - all at your fingertips. Reach Out is a free app available to Lakeland students, faculty and staff, and the entire community. When you need support, the Reach Out app can connect you with the help you need. Be prepared for when you or a loved one needs assistance.Download the app today by searching “Lakeland CC Reach Out” on the App Store or Google Play.

By: Jaylen Love, Marketing & Communications