California educators and leaders are working to create a stable funding system for mental health in schools. The initiative targets fluctuating and unpredictable school budgets, which have made it difficult for schools to meet the growing need for mental health services and specialists.
Funding for mental health in public schools has typically come from general education budgets, which has led to instability in funding. As the demand for mental health services increases, administrators and experts are turning to the health system to fill in the gaps left by education budgets.
Schools have attempted to bridge the gaps by placing nurses, social workers, school counselors, and psychologists on campuses, but there is never enough funding to fully meet student mental health needs. Without a statewide system to fund mental health in schools, districts are left to figure it out themselves.
The Local Control Funding Formula in California created more funds for mental health, but the challenge of not having enough money to go around for all students persists. Without sufficient funding, school districts must make difficult decisions, and often have to compete for funding with other education programs and teachers.
To address the funding gap, California educators and leaders are turning to the health system and launching a statewide behavioral health initiative. This initiative aims to merge the health and education systems, ensuring that both prevention and treatment for mental health services are adequately provided in schools.
The Behavioral Health Initiative was part of the Budget Act of 2021 and the governor’s Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, and aims to invest over $4.7 billion in youth behavioral services. Efforts to implement the initiative started in January 2022, and have already disbursed hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to organizations for training and retention of providers, loan repayments, and scholarships to increase providers in underserved areas.
While grant funding and private programs have helped, the initiative seeks lasting and sustainable funding solutions for mental health in schools. One such solution includes expanding the use of Medi-Cal for mental health services. Legislators updated the California Education Code to allow school districts to bill Medi-Cal for mental health services provided by school counselors. However, the process can be long and burdensome, and sometimes districts don’t get a full refund.
Partnerships between school districts and health departments have shown promise, as they provide access to mental health providers and services without burdening school budgets. Nonprofit organizations have also stepped in to help fill needs and expand services at a lower cost.
The goal of these partnerships and funding solutions is to create a comprehensive and sustainable mental health system in schools that allows for early interventions, preventative care, and increased access to mental health specialists for all students. With continued efforts, California policymakers and educators hope to create a lasting and stable funding system for mental health in schools.
