A coalition of 16 states has launched a legal challenge against the Trump administration's decision to cut over $1 billion in federal funding for school-based mental health services. The lawsuit, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and filed in a federal court in Seattle, argues that these cuts are unlawful and will severely impact mental health support for students nationwide.
The Grants: A Lifeline for Students
The grants in question, part of the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program and the School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program, were established by Congress with bipartisan support after the devastating 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Their primary goal was to address the critical shortage of mental health professionals in schools, particularly in low-income and rural areas, and to enhance the well-being and safety of students.
These programs have been widely successful. In their first year alone, they provided mental and behavioral health services to nearly 775,000 elementary and secondary students across the country. They have been credited with a 50% reduction in suicide risk at high-need schools, as well as decreases in absenteeism and behavioral issues, and an increase in positive student-staff engagement. The funding helped to hire more than 1,200 school-based mental health professionals, significantly reducing student wait times for services.
The Administration's Rationale and States' Objections
In April, the U.S. Department of Education announced the discontinuation of these multi-year grants, stating that they no longer aligned with the Trump administration's priorities. The department's notices to grant recipients contained boilerplate language, failing to provide individualized reasons for the cuts. This move has been criticized by the states as arbitrary and capricious.
The lawsuit asserts that the administration's decision violates the U.S. Administrative Procedures Act, which governs federal agencies, by terminating the grants without adequate explanation or consideration for the profound negative impact on children. Furthermore, the states argue that the cuts undermine Congress's authority and equity directives, as well as the Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the separation of powers. Some sources indicate the cuts may be related to an executive order targeting programs that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Projected Impact on Schools and Students
The termination of these grants is expected to have dire consequences for schools and students. States like New York stand to lose at least $19 million, while California faces a cut of at least $98 million. This loss of funding will likely lead to:
- Layoffs of hundreds of school-based mental health professionals.
- The abrupt end of services for thousands of vulnerable students.
- Dismantling of graduate training pipelines that were addressing nationwide shortages of mental health professionals.
- Increased strain on already-taxed community mental health services.
Attorneys general from states including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin have joined the lawsuit, seeking an injunction to overturn the cancellation and reinstate the funding for its full intended term. They emphasize that cutting these vital programs is not only immoral but also unlawful, abandoning children when they need support the most.