Wisconsin Will Lose $8 Million in Federal Grants Schools Have Been Using for Student Mental Health

Sunday, May 4th, 2025 -- 10:00 AM

(Corrinne Hess, Wisconsin Public Radio) Wisconsin will lose $8 million in federal grants that school districts have been using to hire mental health professionals, including school counselors and social workers. 

According to Corrinne Hess with the Wisconsin Public Radio, the current administration announced Thursday it would stop $1 billion in mental health grants to school districts across the country, saying they violate civil rights law.

In December 2024, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction was one of 22 grant recipients nationwide to receive a five-year, $10 million grant by the U.S. Department of Education.

This year, that money has been used to increase the recruitment, retention, and diversification of school counselors, school psychologists and school social workers.

DPI learned Tuesday the grant would be canceled. At this time, DPI believes the state will still be able to access the initial funding of $2 million through Dec. 31, 2025.

But the remaining four years, totaling $8 million, will be canceled. “At a time when communities are urgently asking for help serving mental health needs, this decision is indefensible,” State Superintendent Jill Underly said in a statement.

“These funds, which Wisconsin used to make meaningful change for our schools, were helping districts and our higher education partners develop new mental health professionals, providing a career opportunity for our current high schoolers.”

But the current administration says the Biden administration, in awarding the grants, violated “the letter or purpose of Federal civil rights law.” In a statement to NPR, Madi Biedermann, deputy assistant secretary for communications at the Department of Education, said grant recipients were using the money to “implement race-based actions like recruiting quotas in ways that have nothing to do with mental health.”

“We owe it to American families to ensure that tax-payer dollars are supporting evidence-based practices that are truly focused on improving students’ mental health,” Biedermann said.

Data from the state Office of Children’s Mental Health shows the number of young people who have felt depressed has increased 42 percent over the last decade.

One in 4 girls have seriously considered suicide while 40 percent of LGBTQ teens have considered taking their life. Boys are suffering too. A report released last month by the Office of Children’s Mental Health found 4 in 10 young men have had thoughts of suicide in the last two weeks.

“Kids don’t get a chance to do-over their school experience while the federal government recalibrates its political agenda,” Underly said. “Federal funds are a critical part of our infrastructure, and these disruptions need to stop.”

Gov. Tony Evers’ biennial budget proposal, currently being reviewed by the state Legislature, includes $167.6 million to expand the School-Based Mental Health Services Program.

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