Grant Money Coming To More Than 100 Oklahoma School Districts For Mental Health Programs

The state education department is giving out grant money to help with mental health in schools.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister said the pandemic has made tough situations even worse for students across the state.

She said getting enough counselors and mental health professionals was already an issue for schools and the state wanted to help. Grant money is coming to more than 100 school districts in all parts of the state. 

“It is making a difference in the lives of our kids and by getting this grant it allows us to hire more counselors and basically what we are doing is we are telling our counselors is ‘We want you to know the kids better than their parents,’” said Superintendent of McAlester Public Schools Randy Hughes. “With this grant money, what we are going to do is the counselors will follow the students from 7th grade all the way to 12th.”

The money will fund school counselors, social workers, mental health professionals and recreational therapists. 

“We needed some social workers in our district. It will really help our families to engage and get services that are needed,” said Jean Brassfield with Broken Arrow Public Schools. “We are going to get some behavior therapists for our Pre-K sites, then we will also get 12 therapists for our district. 

These new positions will last three years through this grant. 

“Just to know you had a hand in helping them along the way, that is what is most gratifying,” said Hughes.