Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has taken a formidable stand against the U.S. Department of Education's abrupt decision to cut off crucial mental health funding to schools, a move that could leave thousands of students without necessary support. As reported by the Michigan Department of Attorney General, Nessel, along with a coalition of attorneys general from eight other states, filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, drawing attention to the vital importance of these at-risk services, especially in under-resourced and rural areas.
This legal challenge backs a lawsuit by a New Mexico school district contesting the abrupt termination of grants provided under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, this sudden funding cut endangers not only established programs but also the strides made towards bolstering student mental health and safety. Nessel was quoted as saying, "The Trump White House does not have the authority to strip hundreds of already-allocated mental health grants, especially when doing so would directly harm kids across the country," underscoring the potential damage from such an unexpected halt in funding.
The coalition's brief argues that the withdrawal of these funds, which supported the School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program and the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program, could disrupt ongoing care and negate the progress made in improving mental health outcomes for students.
Also earlier this month Attorney General Nessel filed a separate lawsuit targeting the Department of Education's illegal slashing of congressionally approved funds that were instrumental in addressing the lack of mental health professionals in Michigan schools, where three recipients were hit by the cuts, including the Michigan Department of Education, Grand Valley State University, and the Lansing School District. The brief encapsulates the grievance that the Department's discontinuation violates the Administrative Procedure Act, ignores federal grant rules, and overlooks the irreversible harm to students, with an keen emphasis on those in sparsely served communities.
