Article Summary –
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is distributing nearly $12 million in federal funds to 40 school districts in the state to address student mental health. The funding is part of the Stronger Connections Grant Program, which is designed to provide mental health support for students, including early intervention, treatment, and crisis support. To qualify, school districts must show a significant number or percentage of their students live in poverty, have a low ratio of mental health professionals to students, and high rates of chronic absenteeism, suspensions, or expulsions.
Wisconsin Invests $12M in Student Mental Health Support
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) announced on March 27 it will distribute nearly $12 million from the Stronger Connections Grant Program to 40 local school districts. This federal funding is part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, signed by President Biden last June. The goal is to bolster efforts to tackle the growing student mental health crisis.
“Wisconsin should now step up and do more to meet the very real needs of our kids,” DPI Superintendent Jill Underly stated. “Our state has the means to make a tremendous difference in the mental health of our kids.”
According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 42% of students reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day in 2021, a steady increase since 2015.
These grant funds aim to help schools implement comprehensive evidence-based strategies to increase access to interventions and services. The money will promote mental health, early intervention, treatment, and crisis support, as outlined in the DPI information.
Schools can decide how to allocate the funds for initiatives like bullying prevention, suicide prevention, mental health screening, and reentry plans for students returning from care.
School districts qualify for grant funds if they show high poverty levels, low numbers of mental health professionals, and high levels of chronic absenteeism, suspensions, or expulsions. Grants range from $300,000 to $400,000, depending on district size.
However, the grant money cannot be used for food costs and facility construction or renovation. The grant recipients include the Madison Metropolitan School District, West Salem School District, Sheboygan Area School District, and Eau Claire Area School District.
—
Read More Wisconsin News
