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Rep. Kelly Fenton Applauds Mental Health Grants for Local Schools

Friday, October 19, 2018

Woodbury, MN—It was recently announced that the Department of Human Services is awarding $33 million in school-linked mental health grants over three years to fifty-seven mental health providers across the state. This funding will bring mental health services to more than half of Minnesota schools including schools in the South Washington, Stillwater Area and North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale school districts. The funding will help with assessment, treatment and care coordination, teacher consultation, and school-wide trainings.

“Addressing student mental health has been a key priority at the Capitol over the past two years, and I am pleased that local schools will be receiving more mental health services,” said Rep. Kelly Fenton, R-Woodbury. “We want to make sure that we’re reaching children in need and they aren’t falling through the cracks. It is a privilege to work for our students and schools, and I will continue to champion measures to address student mental health, improve student learning, support our educators and ensure that every child has an opportunity to succeed.”

Since 2015, House Republicans have more than doubled the funding for school-linked mental health grants from $5 million to $11 million annually. They also supported an additional $5 million annually as part of a comprehensive schools safety package that was vetoed by the governor earlier this year.

You can see the full list of recipients for the school-linked mental health grants here.