Representatives Lucy McBath, Terri Sewell, and Salud Carbajal are urging the U.S. Department of Education to reinstate $1 billion in mental health grant programs established under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA). These grants aim to prevent school shootings by supporting mental health services in schools.
The Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program and the School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program have been expanded through the BSCA. They operate in 49 states, assisting schools in recruiting, training, and retaining mental health professionals to tackle the increasing youth mental health crisis.
“As you know, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) was signed into law following the murder of nineteen students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 24th, 2022. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives 234-193 and the U.S Senate in a vote of 65-33, showing strong support for the bill from both parties,” stated McBath, Sewell, and Carbajal.
“It is unacceptable for these grants to be discontinued for arbitrary political reasons while gun violence continues to be the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the United States. Students, teachers, and families across the country deserve better,” they continued. “We demand that these grants be immediately reinstated and that you commit to implementing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act as Congress intended.”
A complete copy of their letter to Secretary Linda McMahon is available online.
