The SBMH program provides competitive grants to State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and consortia of LEAs to increase the number of credentialed school-based mental health services providers providing mental health services to students in LEAs with demonstrated need.
The increases in mental health related needs, including those resulting from traumatic events such as the COVID–19 pandemic, community violence, adverse childhood experiences, and increasing number of instances of bullying and harassment, and the impact of social media, have brought on challenges for children and youth that impact their overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and their ability to fully engage in learning.
The priorities for the FY 2024 competition are intended to increase the number of credentialed school-based mental health services providers by providing grant funds to increase recruitment and retention-related activities and incentives, particularly in LEAs and SEAs that have not yet benefited from an SBMH grant; promote the re-specialization and professional retraining of existing mental health services providers so that they have the credentials needed to provide school- based mental health services in LEAs with demonstrated need; and increase the diversity, and cultural and linguistic competency, of school-based mental health services providers, including competency in providing culturally sustaining and asset-based services.