West Virginia University and Concord University will be receiving money from the U.S. Department of Education Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration Program.
The funding will support the training of school-based mental health service providers for employment in schools and local educational agencies across West Virginia.
WVU will receive $990,226 and $605,591 will go to Concord University in Mercer County.
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the $1,595,817 funding Tuesday.
“Strengthening school-based mental health services is a top priority of mine, and it is more important than ever that we work together to ensure every West Virginia student has a safe and healthy learning environment,” said Manchin. “I am pleased the Department of Education is investing more than $1.5 million in WVU and Concord University to train mental health service providers and help address the shortage of mental health professionals for our children. I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of the funding and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources to bolster mental health services and support our students across the Mountain State.”
The Department of Education’s Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration Program provides funding to establish innovative partnerships between institutions of higher education and local schools and educational agencies. The program trains school counselors, social workers, psychologists and other mental health professionals qualified to provide school-based mental health services, with the goal of expanding the pipeline of these workers into low-income public schools to address shortages of school-based mental health service professionals.
