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DPI receives $11 million in federal funding for school mental health services

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Outside of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. Staff/EdNC

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded over $11 million in federal funding for school-based mental health services to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), according to a Feb. 13 press release from DPI. 

“It is clear that mental health support is crucial for North Carolina’s public schools to fully support and nurture students,” said State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green. “These funds will allow our state to not only better serve our students, but also strengthen this essential talent pipeline.”

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The funding comes from two grants: the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Program and the School-Based Mental Health Services Program.

Over four years, the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grant will provide $4.8 million for the NC School Psychology Internship Program (NC SPIn). The program funds salary and housing stipends for school psychologist interns in primarily rural districts, the release says. Interns can also receive high-quality supervision and training alongside school psychologists, to put in place both proactive and targeted mental health support for students.

Through the School-Based Mental Health Services Grant, the state will receive $6.4 million to launch the NC School Psychologists Supporting our Students (SoS) project. The initiative will fund recruitment and retention stipends in high-need districts, the release says, as well as professional development opportunities. Rural district educators can also use funding to earn school psychologist credentials and return to serve their home communities.

“These federal investments support North Carolina’s continued efforts to address student mental health needs and build a sustainable school psychology workforce, particularly in rural and underserved communities across the state,” the press release says.

Nationwide, the two grants will provide $208 million to expand the number of school-based mental health professionals serving high-need school districts, according to a December press release.

In addition to the $4.8 million for the psychology internship program, EdNC previously reported that, in North Carolina, Ashe County Schools also received a grant under the program for the current fiscal year, of approximately $2.8 million.

According to the abstract document, Ashe County Schools “will build on the success preparing SMH (school mental health) providers to support two rural Appalachian school districts in Alleghany and Ashe counties. In addition to training school psychology students, they will provide training to build staff capacity to collaborate with school psychologists to support youth referrals to early intervention or intensive services.”