WA AG Brown leads 16 states in DOE mental health funding cuts lawsuit
SEATTLE - Washington Attorney General Nick Brown is leading 16 states in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education.
The lawsuit was filed against the DOE for allegedly illegally cutting funding for mental health programs in K-12 schools.
The backstory:
After the deadly mass shooting in Uvalde, TX, that left 19 students and two teachers dead, a bipartisan Congress allocated $1 billion to permanently bring 14,000 mental health professionals into schools.
Since the 2022 shooting, the program has proven successful in schools across the country, with reduced suicide risks and increases in engagement between students and staff, according to a release from the Washington Attorney General's Office.
The DOE awards 5-year project period grants, and revisits projects yearly to determine if funding will continue.
On April 29, the DOE sent out notices to grant recipients, notifying them that their funding would be revoked due to conflicts with the Trump Administration.
What they're saying:
The DOE's decision to cut funding may affect at least three educational service districts in Washington state. The Vancouver School District, Tacoma Public Schools and Northwest Educational Service District rely on school-based mental health programs.
Starting this fall, the three educational service districts – which cover 90 school districts in northwestern Washington – may lose access to mental health services.
"School-based mental health programs can be a literal life-saver for our students," AG Brown said in a statement. "The Department of Education’s decision threatens the safety and well-being of our youth."
What's next:
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, and alleges that the funding cuts violate the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution. AG Brown's lawsuit seeks an injunction to reverse the funding cuts.
AG Brown has been joined by the attorneys general of CA, CO, CT, DE, IL, ME, MD, MA, MI, NM, NY, NV, OR, RI and WI in the lawsuit.
The full complaint can be read here.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Washington State Office of Attorney General Nick Brown.
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