Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led 20 of her Senate colleagues in a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon demanding answers on recent reports that the Department had cut approximately $1 billion in federal mental health grants to help schools hire more psychologists, counselors, and other mental health workers. The Senators also expressed concern about how these cuts will affect schools’ ability to support students and their behavioral health needs and questioned how the Department plans to address the youth mental health crisis.
“This abrupt decision to cut critical funding that was enacted into law under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and annual appropriations acts and already planned to be used in states, communities, and schools is deeply troubling and not consistent with our intent of providing these funds to support the health and wellbeing of children across the nation,” wrote the Senators. “We are requesting more information on the Department of Education’s decision and the Department’s plan to re-envision and re-compete its mental health program funds.”
Senator Cortez Masto has been a leader in fighting for critical mental health dollars for students in Nevada and across the country. In 2022, Senator Cortez Masto helped pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and fought to ensure the bill included $1 billion for the Mental Health Services Professional Demonstration Grant and the School-Based Mental Health Services Program.
These grants have shown to be extremely effective at addressing the shortage of school mental health professionals and increasing access to comprehensive school mental health services. School-based mental health professionals have been proven to improve staff retention, help keep students in school, and promote learning environments where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.
“The uncertainty that is being created by the Department of Education is jeopardizing the work that has been done to increase comprehensive youth mental and behavioral health services, and the availability of school-based mental health professionals across the country,” continued the Senators.
Additional signatories include Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Read the full letter here.
Senator Cortez Masto has pushed multiple Departments under the Trump Administration for detailed, public information regarding the impacts of President Trump’s federal funding freeze, hiring freeze, and terminations on Nevada – including to the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, General Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, and Consumer Finance Protection Bureau.
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