Strengthening Young Minds

$1.9 MILLION AWARD SUPPORTS MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF EAST TEXAS STUDENTS

BY HANNAH BUCHANAN

THE UNIVERSITY OF Texas at Tyler has been awarded $1.9 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration program, which is designed to increase the number of high quality and diverse mental health professionals and address the lack of mental health services in schools.

The program was authorized by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-TX) Bipartisan Safer Communities Act addressing specific concerns leading to violence in schools, including the need for additional mental health services.

According to Mental Health America, more than 73% of youth in Texas who have significant mental health needs remain untreated. Unmet mental health issues can significantly impact youths’ academic achievement and ability to develop, especially those in poverty-stricken and rural areas.