Obtaining a college credential can be a vital pathway for economic security in the United States. Institutions of higher education have prioritized not just enrollment, but the retention and degree completion of their students. One significant contributing factor to student attrition is the presence of a mental health condition. Prior to the COVID-19 global pandemic, student mental health was at a crisis level; entering the third year of the pandemic, those levels have worsened. A deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to mental health conditions as well as the prevalence of trauma among college students is critical for addressing the issue. The heterogeneity of community college students and their distinction from 4-year residential institutions must be considered when developing institutional retention strategies. Research has found faculty engagement to be an essential component in student retention, but little is known of the community college faculty perspective when considering student mental health. This phenomenological qualitative study interviewed community college faculty to understand their perspective of how student mental health and trauma affect student retention. Themes and subthemes were gleaned from narrative data, which informed the implications and recommendations for practice, policy, and future research. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]