Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $5.5 Million to 60 School Districts to Expand Student Behavioral and Mental Health Services

 Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $5.5 Million to 60 School Districts to Expand Student Behavioral and Mental Health Services   

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today that it is awarding $5,540,875 in grants to 60 school districts, educational collaboratives and charter schools across Massachusetts to improve student access to behavioral and mental health services and support. This funding can be used to create or expand comprehensive, integrated systems of student support and aims, through collaboration with families and educators, to build strong local school partnerships with community-based mental health agencies and/or providers.  

In addition, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will be providing related professional development for school district staff. 

“We have a mental health crisis that was only made worse by the pandemic, particularly for students. That’s why improving students’ access to behavioral and mental health care is a priority for our administration,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These grants will help districts connect students with the services they need to be safe, healthy and successful today and into the future.  

“We are grateful to the educators and community-based providers who are partnering and innovating to improve supports for students,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “These services are essential for helping students be successful academically and to build healthy relationships with their peers and teachers.”  

This funding can be used to help strengthen skills to recognize and respond to mental and behavioral health challenges, establish cross-system coordination to improve integration of behavioral and mental health supports and ensure seamless transitions between schools and communities, and improve data systems to track efforts and impact. These grants also promote piloting universal mental health screening systems. 

“The Healey-Driscoll Administration is focused on healing, stabilizing, and transforming our education system that is still recovering from the lasting impacts of the pandemic. These grants are providing our schools, from North Adams to Dennis, with the funding they need to foster environments that support healthy social and emotional development in their classrooms and beyond,” said Education Secretary Patrick A. Tutwiler. 

“Our educators are working to create safe and healthy learning environments that are joyful, engaging and equitable for every child,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Acting Commissioner Russell D. Johnston. “These grants will help provide student supports that advance that important work.” 

Addressing the youth mental health crisis remains a priority for the Healey-Driscoll Administration, and Governor Healey’s fiscal year 2026 budget includes over $21 million to support student behavioral and mental health.  

The grant recipients are:  

• ACCEPT Education Collaborative (Natick): $100,000 

• Assabet Valley Collaborative (Marlborough): $100,000 

• Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical (Marlborough): $100,000 

• Ayer-Shirley School District: $100,000 

• Bedford Public Schools: $148,575 

• Belchertown Public Schools: $25,080 

• Bellingham Public Schools: $100,000 

• Berkley Public Schools: $26,500 

• Boston Public Schools: $100,000 

• Bridge Boston Charter School: $59,999 

• Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical (Taunton): $43,800 

• Brockton Public Schools: $100,000 

• Burlington Public Schools: $59,200 

• Chelsea Public Schools: $100,000 

• Chicopee Public Schools: $100,000 

• Danvers Public Schools: $100,000 

• Dedham Public Schools: $85,200 

• Dennis-Yarmouth Public Schools: $146,880 

• Everett Public Schools: $99,660 

• Excel Academy Charter (East Boston): $99,936 

• Fall River Public Schools: $148,545 

• Foxborough Regional Charter: $100,000 

• Gardner Public Schools: $100,000 

• Gateway (Huntington): $100,000 

• Gloucester Public Schools: $100,000 

• Hadley Public Schools: $84,000 

• Hampden-Wilbraham Public Schools: $100,000 

• Haverhill Public Schools: $100,000 

• Holliston Public Schools: $100,000 

• King Philip (Norfolk): $100,000 

• Lowell Public Schools: $100,000 

• Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter: $70,000 

• Map Academy Charter School (Plymouth): $100,000 

• Medway Public Schools: $70,000 

• Methuen Public Schools: $100,000 

• Monson Public Schools: $143,420 

• Narragansett Regional School District (Baldwinville): $34,150 

• Natick Public Schools: $95,000 

• North Adams Public Schools: $100,000 

• Norwood Public Schools: $148,575 

• Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical (Palmer): $37,150 

• Phoenix Academy Public Charter High School (Lawrence): $100,000 

• Quincy Public Schools: $100,000 

• READS Collaborative (Middleborough): $94,140 

• Rockland Public Schools: $100,000 

• Salem Public Schools: $100,000 

• Salem Academy Charter: $99,260 

• SEEM Collaborative (Stoneham): $53,100 

• South Hadley Public Schools: $99,734 

• Southbridge Public Schools: $63,125 

• Springfield International Charter: $108,575 

• Springfield Public Schools: $148,575 

• Taunton Public Schools: $100,000 

• Uxbridge Public Schools: $50,864 

• Warwick Public Schools: $100,000 

• Watertown Public Schools: $100,000 

• West Springfield Public Schools: $99,127 

• Wilmington Public Schools: $75,000 

• Winthrop Public Schools: $50,000