Trump Ends $1B School Mental Health Grant Over DEI Concerns/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Trump administration has canceled $1 billion in school mental health grants created under President Biden, citing ideological conflict and alleged civil rights violations. Officials claim the funds supported diversity and equity efforts incompatible with the new administration’s priorities. Critics argue the cuts will harm student support systems nationwide.
Trump’s Mental Health Grant Cuts: Quick Looks
- $1 billion in grants cut from school mental health programs
- Funds originated from Biden-era gun violence prevention law
- Trump administration says grants violate merit-based standards
- Officials cite concerns over DEI and civil rights conflicts
- Grant goals reportedly included hiring diverse mental health staff
- Conservative strategist Rufo: “No more slush fund for activists”
- Education Department promises “re-envisioned” mental health strategy
- Cuts part of broader Trump push to dismantle DEI initiatives
- Threats loom over additional education grants tied to equity
- Mental health advocates warn of reduced student support nationwide
Trump Ends $1B School Mental Health Grant Over DEI Concerns
Deep Look
Trump Administration Cuts School Mental Health Grants, Targeting DEI-Linked Programs
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has announced it will cancel $1 billion in federal grants aimed at expanding mental health services in schools, declaring that the programs conflict with the administration’s “merit-based” values and civil rights interpretations.
The funding, part of a 2022 bipartisan gun violence prevention law signed by President Joe Biden, was designed to help K–12 schools hire more counselors, psychologists, and behavioral health professionals. Now, schools have been told the grants will not be renewed after this year.
The Education Department says its review concluded the programs included “problematic” diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals that run counter to federal law and current administration policies. Officials noted particular concerns about initiatives that prioritized the hiring of nonwhite mental health professionals or emphasized racial representation in staffing.
The decision came to light via a post from conservative activist Christopher Rufo, who published excerpts of grant materials that he said exposed the funds being used for “left-wing racialism.”
“No more slush fund for activists under the guise of mental health,” Rufo posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Department Justifies Cuts, Promises New Direction
The Education Department confirmed the cuts in a statement to Congress obtained by the Associated Press. It said the administration plans to “re-envision and re-compete” future mental health grants to better align with Trump’s priorities and address student behavioral health without reliance on DEI frameworks.
The shift is part of a broader rollback of equity-centered policies since President Trump’s return to office. His administration has already revoked billions of dollars in grants connected to diversity practices across federal agencies and institutions, asserting that any policy differentiating by race amounts to “unlawful discrimination.”
Backlash and Impact on Schools
Mental health advocates and school leaders are warning that the cuts will jeopardize student support systems, particularly as many schools continue to grapple with post-pandemic behavioral health crises. The Biden-era grant infusion had funded thousands of new positions across the country, with an emphasis on reaching underserved communities.
“These mental health professionals were the front line for students in crisis,” said a school superintendent in Colorado who received one of the grants. “This decision threatens to unravel critical progress.”
Civil rights groups criticized the administration’s justification, calling the cuts a politically motivated attack on equity and public education.
Part of a Broader Cultural Agenda
President Trump and his allies have made dismantling DEI initiatives a cornerstone of their second-term agenda. Executive orders and budget proposals have moved aggressively to defund federal DEI offices, scrutinize campus diversity programs, and penalize public institutions that apply race-conscious practices.
In his social media post, Trump-linked strategist Rufo praised the latest decision as a victory for conservatives seeking to “defund the ideology” behind racial equity initiatives.
While the administration has pledged to continue investing in school mental health through other channels, details remain vague, and education leaders are bracing for further ideological reshaping of how schools handle emotional and behavioral support.
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