The state of Connecticut plans to send a total of $15 million in federal funding to 72 school districts in order to hire and retain mental health specialists over the next three school years, Gov. Ned Lamont’s office announced Thursday.
The competitive grants ranged from around $25,000 to $120,000 in the 2024 and 2025 school years and between $17,500 and $84,000 in school year 2026.
“Every child deserves essential support for behavioral health services, and through the release of these grants we are able to assist more school districts in hiring mental health workers,” Lamont said in a press release. “Making these resources available in schools is a way we can easily and directly connect children and teens with the support they require.”
The awards are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and represent the second of three rounds of grants intended to boost the number of mental health support workers in Connecticut schools, according to the release.
Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker said the awards prioritized the well-being of students.
“This funding will enable schools to hire dedicated school mental health professionals, ensuring students have the vital support they need,” Russell-Tucker said. “With this investment we are building a safer, nurturing environment where students can excel academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. Together, let’s forge a stronger, healthier future.”
Of the 72 districts, nine will receive the maximum $324,000 over the three covered school years. They include local districts in Ansonia, East Lyme, Ellington, Granby, Newington, and Simsbury, as well as Area Cooperative Educational Services in North Haven, Jumoke Academy in Hartford, and Regional School District 06 in Litchfield.
A complete list of this round’s grant recipients follows:
Lead applicant Award for 2024 Award for 2025 Award for 2026 Total grant award Andover School District $43,750 $43,750 $30,625 $118,125 Ansonia School District $120,000 $120,000 $84,000 $324,000 Area Cooperative Educational Services $120,000 $120,000 $84,000 $324,000 Bloomfield School District $88,422.03 $88,422.03 $61,895.42 $238,739.48 Bozrah School District $81,585 $81,585 $57,109.50 $220,279.50 Bristol School District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Canterbury School District $59,517.91 $59,517.91 $41,662.53 $160,698.34 Canton School District $40,000 $40,000 $28,000 $108,000 Cheshire School District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Columbia School District $62,000 $62,000 $43,400 $167,400 Common Ground High School District $88,562 $88,562 $61,993.40 $239,117.40 Coventry School District $45,815 $45,815 $32,070.50 $123,700.50 Cromwell School District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Darien School District $47,020 $47,020 $32,914 $126,954 East Haddam School District $50,150 $50,150 $35,105 $135,405 East Lyme School District $120,000 $120,000 $84,000 $324,000 East Windsor School District $46,869 $46,869 $32,808.30 $126,546.30 Easton School District $62,500 $62,500 $43,750 $168,750 Ellington School District $120,000 $120,000 $84,000 $324,000 Fairfield School District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Granby School District $120,000 $120,000 $84,000 $324,000 Great Oaks Charter School District $90,732 $90,732 $63,512.40 $244,976.40 Groton School District $86,000 $86,000 $60,200 $232,200 Highville Charter School District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Integrated Day Charter School District $71,500 $71,500 $50,050 $193,050 Interdistrict School for Arts and Comm District $110,337 $110,337 $77,235.90 $297,909.90 Jumoke Academy District $120,000 $120,000 $84,000 $324,000 Killingly School District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Lebanon School District $77,694.14 $77,694.14 $54,385.90 $209,774.18 Ledyard School District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Madison School District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Marlborough School District $65,743.60 $65,743.60 $46,020.52 $177,507.72 Montville School District $85,448 $85,448 $59,813.60 $230,709.60 New Hartford School District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Newington School District $120,000 $120,000 $84,000 $324,000 Norwich Free Academy District $49,406.50 $49,406.50 $34,584.55 $133,397.55 Old Saybrook School District $70,012 $70,012 $49,008.40 $189,032.40 Orange School District $92,505 $92,505 $64,753.50 $249,763.50 Plainfield School District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Preston School District $51,800 $51,800 $36,260 $139,860 Putnam School District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Redding School District $85,600 $85,600 $59,920 $231,120 Regional School District 05 $68,211 $68,211 $47,747.70 $184,169.70 Regional School District 06 $120,000 $120,000 $84,000 $324,000 Regional School District 10 $42,187.50 $42,187.50 $29,531.25 $113,906.25 Regional School District 13 $110,500 $110,500 $77,350 $298,350 Regional School District 14 $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Regional School District 19 $61,052 $61,052 $42,736.40 $164,840.40 Scotland School District $89,000 $89,000 $62,300 $240,300 Shelton School District $87,411 $87,411 $61,187.70 $236,009.70 Sherman School District $71,789.86 $71,789.86 $50,252.90 $193,832.62 Simsbury School District $120,000 $120,000 $84,000 $324,000 Sterling School District $103,460 $103,460 $72,422 $279,342 Stonington School District $42,500 $42,500 $29,750 $114,750 Stratford School District $46,267 $46,267 $32,386.90 $124,920.90 Suffield School District $67,664 $67,664 $47,364.80 $182,692.80 The Bridge Academy District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 The Gilbert School District $119,160 $119,160 $83,412 $321,732 The Woodstock Academy District $60,000 $60,000 $42,000 $162,000 Thompson School District $118,461 $118,461 $82,922.70 $319,844.70 Tolland School District $61,256 $61,256 $42,879.20 $165,391.20 Vernon School District $119,631 $119,631 $83,741.70 $323,003.70 Voluntown School District $25,150 $25,150 $17,605 $67,905 Wallingford School District $39,448 $39,448
