Trump administration withdraws $1 billion in mental health funding for schools, justifying move by prioritizing other programs instead.
Fresh Take:
The Trump administration is yanking a "$1 billion lifeline" for school mental health programs, claiming they're out of step with the administration's agenda. Schools received a heads-up in April 2025 that these funds won't be renewed after this year. A piece of legislation signed by former President Joe Biden in 2022 funneled this money to help schools beef up their mental health team with psychologists, counselors, among others.
A bureaucratic axe fell on these grants following a review by the Education Department. The review accused these programs of contradicting civil rights law, undermining the department's policy of prioritizing merit, and misallocating federal funds [1][2][3].
Conservative strategist Christopher Rufo took to social media to shout about the cuts, branding the money as a "slush fund for activists masquerading as mental health funds." He shared excerpts from grant documents, revealing diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives, like hiring a specific number of nonwhite counselors and pursuing diversity-focused policies [1][3].
The Education Department relayed that they'll find alternative ways to financially support student mental health in the future. "The Department aims to revamp and recompete its mental health program funds to better cater to students' emotional needs," as stated in the announcement [1][2].
The Trump administration has slashed billions from federal grants across diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and threatened to chop billions more from schools and colleges over diversity practices [4]. The administration argues that any policy that treats people differently based on race is discriminatory, and DEI practices have often unfairly targeted white and Asian American students [1][3].
Enrichment Details:- The grants in question were authorized following the Uvalde school shooting and were part of the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act [1][2][3].- In addition to the school mental health grants, the Trump administration also canceled $106 million in Massachusetts K-12 funding for pandemic-related mental health and academic supports [4]. This forms part of a broader $2 billion national reduction.- The administration has a long history of cutting funds related to DEI and has threatened to cut billions more in diversity initiatives at schools and colleges [1][3].
- In contrast to the Trump administration's decision, former President Joe Biden signed a legislation in 2022 that funneled grants worth a billion dollars to schools for strengthening their mental health teams, which include psychologists and counselors.
- The Education Department's review concluded that the school mental health programs, funded by these grants, were in violation of civil rights law, misallocated federal funds, and undermined the department's policy of prioritizing merit.
- Conservative strategist Christopher Rufo, taking to social media, accused the grants of being a "slush fund for activists" and shared excerpts from grant documents, revealing diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives.
- The Education Department has communicated its intention to find alternative ways to financially support student mental health in the future, aiming to revamp and recompete its mental health program funds to better cater to students' emotional needs.
- The Trump administration's decision to slash these grants is part of a broader pattern, as it has threatened to cut billions more from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across schools and colleges.
- The administration has argued that any policy that treats people differently based on race is discriminatory, and DEI practices have often unfairly targeted white and Asian American students.
- The grants in question were authorized following the Uvalde school shooting and were part of the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
- In addition to the school mental health grants, the Trump administration also canceled $106 million in Massachusetts K-12 funding for pandemic-related mental health and academic supports, forming part of a $2 billion national reduction in federal grants across DEI initiatives.
