States Seek Court Block on Federal Cuts to School Mental-Health Grant Funding
Fifteen states asked a Washington federal judge to halt the Education Department’s plan to cancel millions in school mental-health grants, arguing the agency lacks a clear termination plan.
A group of fifteen states filed a motion in a Washington federal court seeking to stop the Education Department from ending roughly $1 billion in school mental-health grants. During the hearing, Judge Kymberly Evanson asked why the department insists that any legal challenge must go to the Court of Federal Claims, noting the lack of a lower-court forum. DOJ lawyer Brian Kipnis replied that the department has not issued a final termination decision or a detailed plan, so the court cannot rule on the matter.
The states pointed to notices sent to grantees and guidance on the department’s website as evidence of an impending termination. Attorneys Ellen Range and Jennifer Chung argued that the funding cuts are already harming schools’ ability to recruit counselors and interns, jeopardizing mental-health services for students. The judge took the arguments under submission and will issue a ruling later.
Why it matters
The dispute could affect millions of students' access to school-based mental-health services across the United States.
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