WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined 20 of her Senate colleagues in demanding answers on recent reports that the Trump Administration had cut approximately $1 billion in federal mental health grants to help schools hire more psychologists, counselors, and other mental health workers. Rochester Public Schools had nearly $2 million in mental health grant funding cancelled. The funding would have trained and licensed staff to provide counseling and other mental health services to students across the school district. Smith and her colleagues also expressed concern about how these cuts will affect schools’ ability to support students and their behavioral health needs and questioned how the Department plans to address the youth mental health crisis.
“This abrupt decision to cut critical funding that was enacted into law under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and annual appropriations acts and already planned to be used in states, communities, and schools is deeply troubling and not consistent with our intent of providing these funds to support the health and wellbeing of children across the nation,” wrote the Senators. “The uncertainty that is being created by the Department of Education is jeopardizing the work that has been done to increase comprehensive youth mental and behavioral health services, and the availability of school-based mental health professionals across the country.”
“The termination of this grant is a big step backward,” Rochester Public Schools Superintendent Kent Pekel wrote in a letter. “Thousands of students who might have received counseling and support to address challenges to their mental health, such as depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide, will not receive that support unless the U.S. Department of Education reconsiders its termination of this vitally important initiative.”
“[…] the federal funds are helping to fill a gap that Rochester Public Schools cannot fill on its own: enabling talented people who are already working in our school system to earn the licenses and degrees that they need to provide students with counseling and other forms of mental health support,” Superintendent Pekel continued.
These grants have shown to be extremely effective at addressing the shortage of school mental health professionals and increasing access to comprehensive school mental health services. School-based mental health professionals have been proven to improve staff retention, help keep students in school, and promote learning environments where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.
Read the full letter here.
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