Federal Judge Orders Reinstatement of Mental Health Grants for Schools
SEATTLE, Wash. – A federal judge has declared that the U.S. Department of Education acted unlawfully by stopping mental health grants aimed at K-12 schools. This ruling came after a multistate lawsuit spearheaded by Washington Attorney General Nick Brown.
The lawsuit involved attorneys general from several states, including California, Colorado, and New York. They argued that the Department of Education ended the grants based on political priorities from the Trump administration. U.S. District Court Judge Kymberly Evanson sided with the states, granting their request and demanding that the department work with them to create a timeline for continuing the grants lawfully.
Originally, Congress allocated $1 billion to bring about 14,000 mental health professionals into schools that needed them the most. These programs have provided support to nearly 775,000 K-12 students, particularly in low-income and rural areas.
“We’re currently facing a youth mental health crisis. Ensuring our kids receive the necessary support should never depend on political decisions,” said Attorney General Brown.
Earlier, on April 29, the Department of Education announced the discontinuation of these grants. On June 30, Brown and other attorneys general contested this move, claiming it violated the Administrative Procedure Act.
Judge Evanson agreed, emphasizing that multi-year grants should not be cut off due to changing political motivations. Her decision followed a ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on December 2, which denied the Department’s request to pause Evanson’s preliminary injunction.
