On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education announced that applications have opened for two grant programs to bolster mental health services for stude

Schools can now apply for funding to increase mental health staff

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2022-10-05 23:30:25

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education announced that applications have opened for two grant programs to bolster mental health services for students.

Nearly $280 million in federal funds are available through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This is the first of $1 billion in funds that are being allocated over the next five years, according to the ED.

“For too long, schools have lacked the resources to hire enough school-based mental health providers, when at the same time educators are often first to notice when a student is slipping academically or struggling because of mental health challenges,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in a statement.

The first program provides funding to schools to physically increase the amount of certified school-based mental health professionals. The grant will provide $144 million each year for five years. Schools may receive between $500,000 to $3,000,000 each year.

According to the ED, an estimated 150 awards will be distributed. Prospective applicants will be provided with two technical assistance webinars on Oct. 11 and Oct. 19, 2022. Details can be found here.