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Madison to Receive State Mental Health Funds for Schools

State Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker and Gov. Ned Lamont have announced $15 million in funding for dozens of school districts statewide. The funds are to be used to hire mental health staff through the 2024-’26 school years. Among the recipients, Madison is set to receive more than $100,000 in total. According to a press release from the governor’s office, the Connecticut State Department of Education’s School Mental Health Specialists Grant program is the agency charged with releasing the funds.

The grants vary across the 72 districts receiving money and range from $25,150 to $120,000 in each of the first two years and 70% of that amount in the third year, specifically to hire and retain mental health specialists.

According to state officials, Madison will receive $60,000 in both 2024 and 2025 and $42,000 in the last year of the grant process, 2026, for a total of $162,000 across the three-year disbursement period.

Lamont’s office said the program utilizes federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and marks the second of three rounds of grants to increase the number of school mental health workers being state-administered using this ARPA funding.

In a press release, Lamont said funding mental health professionals is crucial for Connecticut students.

“Every child deserves essential support for behavioral health services, and through the release of these grants, we are able to assist more school districts in hiring mental health workers,” Lamont said. “Making these resources available in schools is a way we can easily and directly connect children and teens with the support they require.”

Madison Superintendent of Schools Dr. Craig Cooke said the funds will help support the district’s current mental health programming and staff.

“Madison Public Schools is pleased to receive additional state grant funding to assist us in supporting students in social and emotional learning. Our intended use for the grant is to provide additional school counseling staffing at the elementary level. We are awaiting greater detail on our approval from the state,” said Cooke.