Florida

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law in 2015. The Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) program falls under ESSA, subpart 1 of Title IV, Part A. The SSAE program is intended to improve students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and local communities to provide all students with access to a well-rounded education; improve school conditions for student learning; and improve the use of technology to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students. States receive funds in the form of block grants and then fund local education agencies. To learn more, visit the T4PA Center website.

In 2014, the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) received a Project AWARE grant through the Now is the Time initiative. FLDOE used this 5-year grant to 1) train adults on responding to mental health issues when interacting with school-aged youth, 2) connect children, youth and families who required support to appropriate mental health services, and 3) implement Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid in State and local training programs. For more information about this grant, go to: https://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/sm-21-006.

In 2014, the Florida Department of Children and Families received a Healthy Transitions grant. This 5-year grant program was designed to help improve access to treatment and support services for youth and young adults, ages 16-25 years old, who were at high risk of developing a serious mental or behavioral health condition. The goal of the program was to expand services and supports that were culturally competent and youth guided, improve cross-system collaboration, and increase public awareness of available resources and strategies for identifying early indications of serious mental health and substance use conditions among youth and young adults. To learn more, about this grant go to: https://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/sm-14-017.

In 2014, the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) received a School Climate Transformation grant. With this 5-year grant, FLDOE developed state-wide support systems and provided technical assistance to local educational agencies and schools on implementing evidence-based multi-tiered behavioral frameworks. The primary goal was to improve behavioral outcomes and learning conditions for all students. To find out more about this grant go to: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/schoolclimatesea/index.html.

In 2019, Broward County Public Schools and the School Board of St. Lucie County received a Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grant. These districts are using this 5-year grant to support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based mental health services providers for employment in schools and local educational agencies (LEAs). The goal of this program is to expand the pipeline of high-quality, trained providers to address the shortages of mental health service professionals in schools served by high-need LEAs. To find out more about this program, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/06/21/2019-13289/applications-for-new-awards-mental-health-service-professional-demonstration-grant-program.

In 2014, Hillsborough County Public Schools and the School Boards of Miami-Dade and Sarasota received a Project Prevent grant. They used this 5-year grant to help their schools increase capacities for identifying, assessing, and serving students exposed to pervasive violence. The award helped ensure that affected students were offered mental health services for trauma or anxiety. The award also supported the implementation of other school-based violence prevention strategies that reduced the likelihood of future violence. To find out more about this grant, go to: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/projectprevent/index.html.

In 2014, Duval County Public Schools, Hillsborough County Public Schools, the Nassau District School Board, the School Board of Polk County, and the School Board of Broward County received a School Climate Transformation grant. With this 5-year grant, schools developed support systems and provided technical assistance to schools on implementing evidence-based multi-tiered behavioral frameworks. The primary goal was to improve behavioral outcomes and learning conditions for all students. To find out more about this grant go to: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/schoolclimatelea/index.html.

The Columbia County School District, the School District of Palm Beach County, and the School Board of Miami-Dade received funding through the U.S. Department of Education Elementary and Secondary School Counseling grant program. This 3-year grant helped schools expand the capacity of their school mental health services by 1) hiring qualified mental health professionals and 2) supporting parental involvement and school staff professional development to increase their capacities for collaborating with mental health community-based service providers. For more information about this grant, go to: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/elseccounseling/index.html.

In 2022, the Duval County School Board, Bay County School Board, School Board of Seminole County Florida, School Board of Miami-Dade County, School Board of Monroe County, and Hillsborough County School District received a School-Based Mental Health Services grant. These districts are using this 5-year grant to increase the number of qualified (i.e., licensed, certified, well-trained, or credentialed, as defined in the notice inviting applications) mental health service providers that provide school-based mental health services to students in local educational agencies (LEAs) with demonstrated need. To find out more about this grant, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/10/04/2022-21631/applications-for-new-awards-school-based-mental-health-services-grant-program

In 2022, the University of Florida, University of South Florida, and Florida International University received a Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grant. These universities are using this 5-year grant to support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based mental health services providers for employment in schools and local educational agencies (LEAs). The goal of this program is to expand the pipeline of high-quality, trained providers to address the shortages of mental health service professionals in schools served by high-need LEAs. To find out more about this program, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/11/28/2022-25824/applications-for-new-awards-mental-health-service-professional-demonstration-grant-program

In 2023, the University of South Florida, University of Central Florida Board of Trustees, Florida Atlantic University, and Florida International University received a Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grant. These universities are using this 5-year grant to support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based mental health services providers for employment in schools and local educational agencies (LEAs). The goal of this program is to expand the pipeline of high-quality, trained providers to address the shortages of mental health service professionals in schools served by high-need LEAs. To find out more about this program, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/11/28/2022-25824/applications-for-new-awards-mental-health-service-professional-demonstration-grant-program