Michigan

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 Michigan Department of Education (MDE) received a Project AWARE grant through the Now is the Time initiative. MDE 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 2010, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) received a Safe Supportive Schools grant. MDE used this 4-year grant to implement a measurement system in participating local education agencies to improve conditions for learning. Schools and districts used valid and reliable data to drive research-based prevention and intervention strategies to reduce behaviors that present barriers for learning among high-risk students, such as substance use and aggression.The comprehensive profile (16 pages) and brief snapshot (3 pages) describe the goals of the grant, participating districts, key operational partners, primary interventions and other implementation activities, outcome data, lessons learned, and plans for sustainability. In addition to the cross-grantee Executive Summary, a longer study document is available upon request (contact NCSSLE@air.org).  To find out more about this grant, go to: https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/state-grantees/safe-and-supportive-school-s3-grants.

In 2014, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) received a School Climate Transformation grant. With this 5-year grant, MDE 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, the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District received a Project Prevent grant. This district is using this 5-year grant to increase their capacity to help schools in communities with pervasive violence to better address the needs of affected students and to break the cycle of violence in those communities. To find out more about this grant, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/projectprevent/index.html.

In 2014, the Lansing School District 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, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker Schools, Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, and the School District of the City of Detroit 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.

Kelloggsville Public Schools, Ionia County Board of Education, School Districts of the City of Detroit, and the City of Pontiac 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 2016, the City of Flint received a Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma (ReCAST) grant. This 5-year grant is designed to assist communities that have recently faced civil unrest to better serve the needs of high-risk youth and their families by promoting resilience and equity. Communities will use funding to implement evidence-based, violence prevention, and community youth engagement programs, as well as linkages to trauma-informed behavioral health services. For more information about this grant, go to: http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/sm-16-012.

In 2022, Lansing School District received a School-Based Mental Health Services grant. This district is 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 Michigan Department of Education received a Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grant. This state is 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.