States sue Trump administration over threat to school-based mental health |
The recent termination of approximately $1bn in federal mental health funding for schools has sparked a lawsuit from 16 states against the U.S. Department of Education. The lawsuit, filed on Monday in Seattle by California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin, argues that the funding cuts will lead to layoffs of mental health staff and worsen outcomes for students, particularly in rural and low-income areas. The state officials argue in their complaint that the programs funded by these mental health grants have been “an incredible success,” providing services to nearly 775,000 students nationwide. The programs showed reduction in students' suicide risk, decreases in absenteeism and behavioral problems, and increases in student-staff engagement, according to the complaint. The funding, part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, was designed to support mental health services and training for professionals in schools. The Education Department has indicated plans to “re-envision and re-compete” the grants based on new priorities.