Federal Appeals Court Upholds Order for Release of School Mental Health Grants
In a significant legal development, a federal appeals court has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to withhold millions of dollars designated for mental health services in schools. This decision reinforces efforts to address the critical shortage of mental health professionals in educational institutions across the nation.
The funding, which Congress approved following the tragic Uvalde, Texas school shooting in 2022, aims to support schools in recruiting counselors, psychologists, and social workers, with an emphasis on rural and underserved regions. Despite this, the Trump administration opposed certain elements of the grant programs related to race, arguing that they could negatively impact students and informed grantees that funding beyond December 2025 would not be forthcoming.
U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson, based in Seattle, previously determined that the administration’s decision to terminate these school mental health grants was “arbitrary and capricious.” Following this, the U.S. Department of Education, led by Secretary Linda McMahon, sought an emergency stay, which was denied by a panel from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday.
The appellate court panel stated that the government did not demonstrate a likelihood of success in its claims that the district court lacked jurisdiction or that it would suffer “irreparable injury” without a stay of the ruling. The grants, initially distributed under the Biden administration, were specifically targeted at applicants committed to increasing the representation of counselors from diverse backgrounds or those from the communities directly served by their schools.
Reacting to the October ruling, the Trump administration criticized the grants, alleging they were used “to promote divisive ideologies based on race and sex.” However, the preliminary ruling by Judge Evanson applies to select grantees in the 16 Democratic-led states that contested the Education Department’s decision. For instance, the ruling reinstates approximately $3.8 million for Madera County, California, and $8 million for Marin County, California.
