Scott County, Va. (WJHL) – A school system in southwestern Virginia is one of seven in the state to benefit from a $15 million federal grant to expand student behavior and mental health services.
A statement released by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) said the five-year grants will fund the following school systems:
- Scott County Public Schools
- fredericksburg public schools
- New Kent County Public Schools
- Portsmouth Public School
- Prince George’s County Public Schools
- Roanoke Public Schools
- salem public schools
According to VDOE, the seven regions were selected based on an “extensive needs assessment consistent with the grant requirements.” Public Instruction Superintendent Jillian Balow announced the funding following Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s pledge to make mental health services a priority.
The specific allocation of funds was not specified in the press release; however, VDOE said the funds will enable school systems to hire more mental health professionals such as school psychologists, counselors and social workers.
“VDOE staff will work with each department to develop a detailed plan and budget to determine how much each department will receive,” the release said.
Since 2019, the Mental Health Services Grant Program has awarded $24.3 million to the state of Virginia to provide similar mental health services, the release said.
