BALTIMORE — State leaders are offering up to $120 million for mental-health services for students in pre-K through high school, calling it "a historic commitment to mental health services."
It's part of the new Blueprint for Maryland's Future strategic plan for the school system.
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The goal is "to sustain and expand access to high quality behavioral health services and supports for Maryland students."
The grants were first given out last year, and have served more than 26,000 students statewide - in more than 60 percent of Maryland's schools - since this past spring, according to a press release.
Edward J. Kasemeyer, Chair of the commission that distributes the funds, said in a statement:
The Maryland General Assembly has made a historic commitment to mental health services for Maryland’s youth. This funding will support critical programming across the state.
More than one-third of Maryland middle (34%) and high school (36%) students reported feeling sad or hopeless for at least two weeks or more within the past year, according to a state survey released this summer.
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