CDE to Receive $1.6M Annually for School-Based Mental Health Services

DENVER -- Colorado Commissioner of Education Susana Córdova announced the Colorado Department of Education will receive a $1.6 million yearly grant from the U.S. Department of Education to enhance mental health services for students across the state. 

This five-year award, running from 2025-2029, aims to address Colorado’s critical shortage of school-based mental health professionals and strengthen support for youth experiencing mental health challenges.

"This grant is an important resource for our state’s school districts to help them expand access to the services our students need to thrive," Córdova said. "By investing in school-based capacity to provide mental health supports, we can better support student health, wellness, and engagement within their own learning communities."

The School-Based Mental Health Services Grant will support schools to hire more counselors and mental health professionals. It will provide funding to hire new workers, keep existing ones in their jobs and help some switch careers to work in schools. The grant includes funding for stipends, training for graduate-level school-based mental health supervisors, and developing pathways for clinic-based mental health professionals to transition to school-based roles. 

For more information about the grant, please contact [email protected]. 

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The Colorado Department of Education’s vision is to create equitable educational environments where all students and staff in Colorado thrive. Our role is to improve student outcomes and ensure students and families across Colorado have access to high-quality schools by serving, guiding, and elevating our state’s 178 school districts and BOCES