Trump’s Cuts Can’t Stop These School Mental Health Projects from Thriving | PRIMENEWSNOW

Over 140 educational institutions, including school districts, universities, and state education departments, are now facing a critical moment regarding federal grants for mental health services that were previously halted by the Trump administration.

As the deadline approaches, these grant recipients remain anxious about the future of their funding. By December 30, the Trump administration must decide on a case-by-case basis whether to extend financial support for these mental health initiatives for another year.

This uncertainty stems from two federal court rulings on December 19 and 23, following a lawsuit filed by 16 states challenging the April termination of numerous five-year grants. These grants aimed to increase the number of school mental health professionals and train future specialists.

Impact of the Court’s Decision on Mental Health Funding

Judge Kymberly Evanson, based in Seattle, determined on December 19 that the U.S. Department of Education breached federal law by notifying grant recipients of funding termination due to a shift in priorities under the Biden administration.

Evanson highlighted that the termination notices lacked specific explanations and failed to inform grantees of any new funding priorities, a requirement for competitive grants.

“The department essentially-and surreptitiously-ran a new grant contest evaluating existing original grant applications against new unpublished priorities,” Evanson stated in her detailed order.

For many, these notices arrived shortly after their projects began, cutting short what were expected to be five-year initiatives. Others received notices at the start of their third year.

Historically, mid-project terminations were rare and typically linked to misconduct. However, the Trump administration has frequently canceled ongoing grants, citing concerns over diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Grantees had secured funding by aligning with Biden administration goals, such as increasing diversity among school mental health professionals. Evanson ruled that the administration lacked the authority to terminate multiyear grants based on political shifts.

Evanson nullified the April terminations and instructed the Education Department to reassess funding decisions for 2026 based on legal criteria, such as project progress and report submissions.

In a follow-up order, Evanson mandated that these decisions be made by December 30.

Who is Affected by the Recent Ruling?

Evanson’s ruling impacts 138 grantees across 15 states involved in the lawsuit, expanding on an earlier order that temporarily preserved funding for 49 projects.

The grants were initially awarded under two programs established after the 2018 Parkland school shooting, aimed at hiring mental health professionals and training future counselors and psychologists.

Following the Uvalde, Texas school shooting, Congress allocated $1 billion to these programs in 2022, resulting in awards to 339 entities nationwide. However, the Education Department later cut funding for 223 of these awards.

The ruling affects terminated grant recipients in states like California, Colorado, and New York, among others, though Nevada has no affected grants.

Why Grantees Remain Concerned

Although the termination notices are invalid, grantees still face uncertainty about funding beyond December 31.

The Education Department could still find new reasons to halt funding, even while adhering to Evanson’s order.

For instance, the University of Washington used grant funds to cover tuition for students training as school psychologists. With tuition due soon, students remain unsure if their costs will be covered.

Without funding, students may have to pause or abandon their training due to financial constraints.

Funding Availability for Mental Health Grants

There is also uncertainty about whether the Education Department has sufficient funds to continue supporting these 138 projects.

When the grants were canceled in April, the Trump administration intended to redirect funds to a new grant competition focused on its own priorities, such as funding only school psychologists and excluding certain ideologies.

The department estimated $270 million for this competition but ultimately awarded $208 million. It may still need to fund some or all of the 138 projects involved in the lawsuit.

However, Congress has not yet allocated all necessary funds, leaving the projects dependent on future congressional decisions.

State lawyers have requested a full financial accounting for clarity, but Evanson has not ordered this yet. The Education Department has not clarified the funding situation.