Press Release
Posted:
|
St. Helena – Today, Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) announced that the Department of Education is opening applications for two grant programs to increase access to mental health services for students and young people thanks to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is the most significant gun violence prevention legislation signed into law in 30 years. “Students across our country face multiple crises that exacerbate mental health challenges. From community violence to the climate crisis to pandemic-related issues, our students need support to process the depression, anxiety, and trauma that stems from these situations,” said Thompson. “The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is going to help our schools provide the resources and support our students need to respond to depression and anxiety. Having professional mental health providers in our schools will help make our communities safer and increase access to these vital services, helping underserved and hard-to-reach communities receive the treatment they deserve.” The first grant program, School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH), provides funding to schools to increase the number of credentialed school-based mental health professionals. Two technical assistance webinars for prospective applicants will be provided: one on October 11th, 2022, and one on October 19th, 2022, prior to the application deadline. Webinar information will be available here. The second program, the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration (MHSP) grants, support districts in hiring additional school-based mental health service providers in high-need districts by boosting the mental health profession pipeline. This includes investing in innovative partnerships between school districts and institutions of higher education to prepare qualified school-based mental health services providers for employment in schools. Two technical assistance webinars for prospective applicants will be provided: one on October 12th, 2022, and one on October 18th, 2022, prior to the application deadline. Webinar information will be available here. These programs will increase the number of mental health service providers from diverse backgrounds or from the communities they serve, including ensuring access to services for children and youth who are English learners. |