Midwestern states to receive over $95 million in mental health based federal grants

(Washington, DC) -- The U.S Department of Education is announcing over $95 million dollars in awards to 35 states to improve access to school-based mental health services and increase the introduction of mental health professionals in high-need school districts.

The money comes from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was signed into law on June 25th, 2022 by President Joe Biden. A total of $286 million has been distributed across 48 states since the laws signing. As of this publication, 93 more mental health service professional grant awards are being added to the 67 previously awarded this December, for a total of 160 grantees across the country. These grants will work to train thousands of certified mental health providers to go into schools that the U.S Department of Educations says need intervention. 

"These historic investments are made possible because of funds provided under Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, "said the department in a statement to WDAY Radio, "Over the next five years, the Department will invest the remainder of the $1 billion provided by [the] Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in mental health professionals for schools through the Mental Health Service Professional and School-Based Mental Health programs, helping advance the President's goal, as part of his Mental Health Strategy, to double the number of school counselors, social workers, and other school-based mental health professionals."