The Trump administration has announced it will not renew $1 billion in federal grants originally launched under President Biden to expand mental health services in schools.
Grants Cut Amid Shift in Priorities
According to a U.S. Department of Education spokesperson, the decision was made because the grants did not align with the administration’s goals.
“These grants were intended to support student mental health,” Madison Biedermann, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications wrote in a statement to ABC News.
“Instead, the Biden administration pushed race-based hiring practices that do not address actual mental health needs.”
The grants were part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, passed in response to the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The legislation provided historic funding to increase the number of school counselors, psychologists, and social workers over five years.
Critics Warn of Impact on Students
Education and mental health leaders warn the cuts could have serious consequences.
“This is a direct attack on the well-being of children,” said American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. “The progress made through bipartisan efforts is being erased.”
Dr. Tish Brookins, a certified social worker in Kentucky, said the loss of funding will result in “missed opportunities, deepened trauma, and diminished futures.”
“Mental health support in schools is not a luxury. It is a necessity,” Brookins added.
Part of Broader Rollback of Equity Programs
The decision comes as the Trump administration works to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in schools. Conservative activist Christopher Rufo praised the move, calling the mental health grants a “slush fund for activists.”
Despite legal challenges to the administration’s push to roll back DEI programs, the Education Department continues to pivot federal policy toward its new priorities.
Growing Youth Mental Health Crisis
The grant program was created in response to a growing youth mental health crisis, worsened by pandemic-related disruptions. Under the Biden administration, schools received targeted funding to address social isolation, anxiety, and learning setbacks among students.
Former White House officials say the goal was to double the number of mental health professionals in schools nationwide.
Now, with the program discontinued, educators and advocates are concerned that children will lose vital support.
With May observed as Mental Health Awareness Month, many are left feeling frustrated.
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