A $10 million training program for school-based mental health support is included in the fiscal year 2019 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations bill that was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate on the evening of Aug. 23.
The Senate passed the appropriations measure with a vote of 85–7. The package includes an amendment offered by Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) that would create a pilot program at the Department of Education to test and evaluate partnerships between universities and state and local education agencies to train school counselors and other mental health professionals for positions in public school systems serving low-income communities.
The House has not yet considered its education spending bill, but is likely to do so in September. The American Counseling Association will advocate for the inclusion of this program in the House measure.
More information is available on the American Counseling Association Government Affairs blog.