Arizona Supt. Announces $21M For Mental Health Resources In Schools

Kathy Hoffman, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, announced on Monday more funding for mental health resources at public schools.

AZ Family reported that $21 million will provide 140 Arizona public schools with school counselors and social workers.

According to Hoffman, the money will "supplement the School Safety Grant Program."

The School Safety Grant Program brought more than 260 social and emotional support professionals to schools. The goal was to reduce Arizona's student-to-counselor ratio, which was the highest in the country.

The ADE is allocating a portion of its federal recovery money to fully fund the counselors and social workers. It will be able to provide 71 counselors and 69 school social worker positions for two years.

According to Hoffman, the schools getting the new counselors and social workers are in areas that have been waiting for almost two years for these positions.

Hoffman said:

"Over the last year, the social and emotional needs of our students have risen to the forefront of my conversations with teachers, parents and even lawmakers. After a genuinely traumatic year, I’ve heard clearly that the social-emotional services offered by our public schools are critical to student wellbeing. By supplementing the School Safety Grant Program with federal relief funds, we are providing real solutions and resources that will have a direct impact on school safety, the social-emotional well-being of our students, and the overall health of our communities."

Photo: Getty Images