Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal investment of $726,100 for the Multnomah Education Service District to support school-based mental health programs for students.
“I have heard directly from students and educators in the wake of the COVID pandemic and even earlier that a top priority is making mental healthcare more accessible for young Oregonians,” dijo Wyden. “I applaud this federal investment that builds on the work I have done to better support our children, and I will continue to fight for more resources that expand mental health services for students in Oregon and across the nation.”
“La atención de la salud mental es un cuidado de la salud esencial, especialmente para los niños en edad escolar, por lo que he luchado para poner más proveedores en las escuelas”, said Merkley, who is the author of the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act. “It’s great news that Multnomah County is receiving this critical federal investment to help make sure students can access mental health care where they need it most—right in their schools. Our children’s success in the classroom is more than just test scores, we must invest in programs that provide social and emotional support to all students.”
The $726,100 investment from the Department of Education’s School-Based Mental Health Grant program will support the recruitment of diverse and culturally competent providers, and will increase access to high-quality and culturally competent mental health care for high-risk populations within schools.
“We are excited and appreciative of the recent news that we are grant awardees. Our award will directly support the needs of students across Multnomah County who are enrolled in MESD Creeks schools, which serve youth who qualify for special education services and need more intense support with socio-emotional skills. Grant funds will help us with filling critical local needs by increasing access to high-quality and culturally competent mental health care for high-risk populations within an educational environment. We will also be able to improve student instruction on understanding and building essential skills in interoception co-regulation, and resiliency to become successful learners in life and in the classroom. To do this we will use funds to help recruit and retain diverse and culturally competent qualified mental health providers, and train staff in essential mental health skill frameworks to provide appropriate treatment for students,” said Dr. Paul E. Coakley, Multnomah Education Service District Superintendent.
Wyden and Merkley have long been champions for expanding student access to mental health resources. In January of 2023, Wyden and Merkley announced nearly $20 million to Oregon school districts to hire more mental health providers. In March 2023, Wyden introduced the Mental Health Care for Americans Act to expand access to mental and behavioral health care for Oregonians and all Americans on Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and Medicaid. In April of 2023, Merkley and Wyden announced $1.6 million to support training programs for school-based mental health providers under the Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration Program. In June 2023, Wyden joined Senate colleagues to reintroduce the Mental Health Services for Students Act that would help schools in Oregon and nationwide partner with local mental health providers to establish on-site mental health services for students. Merkley led the introduction of the Ley de Consejería de Escuelas Primarias y Secundarias, with Wyden as a co-sponsor, to address the urgent youth mental health crisis by funding grants for public schools to hire additional counselors and mental health professionals. Last year, Merkley and Wyden announced $4.1 million to Oregon health centers to launch and expand their behavioral health services.
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