Kentucky has received federal funding to increase access to school-based mental health care for over 100-thousand students. Two educational co-ops were selected to receive more than $18 million over five years.
During Thursday’s Team Kentucky briefing, Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman said the issue of students’ mental health needs to be addressed now.
“This announcement and the critical work that will follow represents the best of us. Now is the time to invest heavily in our students – beyond tangible objects like facilities and textbooks, but in the whole child.”
Lieutenant Governor Coleman, who was also a teacher, said a student led initiative has helped bring the voices of Kentucky’s students to the forefront.
“Through the mental health initiative, we have developed local, state, and federal partnerships that have opened doors for all of Kentucky’s students and for all of our schools. Our student leaders and I have presented their recommendations to the federal government, the Kentucky Board of Education, state agencies, community partners, and the state legislature.”
The Lieutenant Governor will be presenting the student-led Team Kentucky Student Mental Health Initiative alongside the U.S. Surgeon General next month to the National Lt. Governors' Association.
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