The U.S. Department of Education has announced it will stop disbursing approximately $1 billion in federal grants that were being used by school districts nationwide to hire mental health professionals, including counselors and social workers. These grants were part of the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, passed in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting, and were aimed at addressing the rising mental health needs of students.
According to the Department, the decision was based on its interpretation of federal civil rights laws, stating that some funded activities included hiring or training criteria not directly related to mental health and that such practices could potentially harm the students the grants were intended to support.
The funding had allowed districts such as Corbett, Oregon, to significantly expand their mental health support staff. Prior to receiving the grant, the district employed only two counselors. With the grant, five additional social workers were hired. The district has been informed that the funds, originally intended to last until December 2027, will now end by December 2025.
Former officials involved in administering the program indicated that the grants focused on providing evidence-based mental health services for students, and that discontinuing them could affect the training and retention of school mental health staff across approximately 260 districts.
The Department cited excerpts from grant applications as part of its rationale, noting references to social justice-related language and inclusive practices. This has led to ongoing discussion regarding the scope and intent of the program’s original goals.
