Tolland Awarded School System Mental Health Specialists Grant

TOLLAND, CT — The Tolland public school system was one school mentioned as Gov. Ned Lamont and Connecticut Education Commissioner Charlene Russell announced Thursday the release of $15 million in funding for 72 school districts across Connecticut to support the hiring and retention of school mental health specialists for the 2024, 2025, and 2026 school years.

Awarded under the Connecticut State Department of Education’s School Mental Health Specialists Grant program, the grants for each district range from $25,150 to $120,000 in each of the first two years and 70 percent of that amount in the third year.

The competitive grant program is utilizing funding the state received from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Thursday list represents the second of three rounds of grants aimed at increasing the number of mental health workers in schools that are being administered by the state using ARPA funding.

Here is the breakdown for Tolland:

2024: $61,256
2025: $61,256
2026: $42,879.20
Total: $165,391.20

"Every child deserves essential support for behavioral health services, and through the release of these grants we are able to assist more school districts in hiring mental health workers," Lamont said. "Making these resources available in schools is a way we can easily and directly connect children and teens with the support they require."

Added Russell-Tucker, "The Connecticut State Department of Education is excited to unveil the new School Mental Health Specialists Grant program, which prioritizes our students’ well-being — a foundational element to student success. This funding will enable schools to hire dedicated school mental health professionals, ensuring students have the vital support they need. With this investment we are building a safer, nurturing environment where students can excel academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. Together, let’s forge a stronger, healthier future."

Grant awardees will be required to attend a training this month and complete the compliance documents for the use of ARPA funding. A notification for the training will be sent to the grant awardees.