U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson has secured $5.25 million in federal funding to expand school-based mental health services in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, with funding spread over four years for both districts.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools will receive $4 million, while Broward County Public Schools will receive $1.25 million through the U.S. Department of Education’s Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration Grant Program. The grants support partnerships aimed at training and placing mental health professionals in public schools, particularly those serving low-income and high-need communities.
Wilson, a senior member of the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee, said the funding comes as schools across the country continue to face shortages of trained mental health professionals amid rising rates of youth depression, anxiety and suicide.
“We are in a mental health crisis in this country, and our children are carrying the weight of it,” Wilson said in a statement, pointing to the disproportionate impact on low-income students, students of color and LGBTQ+ youth.
The funding will support two separate initiatives, one in each school district.
In Broward County, the grant will fund Broward’s PATH Forward program — short for Psychologist Advancement and Training Hub — which is designed to expand the pipeline of credentialed school psychologists. Over a 48-month period, the program will support three district employees through graduate school completion and certification, fund 23 full-time school psychology interns and provide certification exam support. The initiative is expected to result in 26 certifications, increase the number of schools served by trained psychology staff by 25%, deliver more than 20,000 hours of student mental health services and lead to the hiring of 15 to 20 new school psychologists by the end of the grant period.
Broward County Public Schools will receive $306,472 in 2026, with continued funding through 2029.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools will use its funding to support Project HOPE-SP — Holistic Opportunities for Preparation and Excellence in School Psychology. The initiative partners the district with a nationally accredited school psychology program to increase recruitment and retention of credentialed school psychologists. The program will provide coursework, collaborative projects and monthly workshops focused on evidence-based mental health assessment and intervention practices.
Project HOPE-SP will serve 257 high-need schools and approximately 170,000 students. The program will support 34 graduate students in school psychology through mentorship, financial assistance and specialized training. Miami-Dade County Public Schools will receive $1 million in 2026, with funding continuing for four years.
Wilson has previously pushed for increased attention to youth mental health, particularly among Black men and boys, hosting multiple forums and hearings on the issue in Washington, D.C., and New York City. She has also previously helped secure funding for local mental health initiatives, including the Adrienne Arsht Center’s arts-based youth mental health program, I Am Me.
The Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration Grant Program provides competitive grants to support partnerships between school districts and higher education institutions to address national shortages of school counselors, psychologists and social workers, particularly in low-income communities.
This is a Hy-Lo News Staff Report.
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