In an unprecedented move, 16 states have filed a lawsuit to combat the Trump administration’s decision to slash critical mental health funding for schools.
At a Glance
- 16 states have taken legal action against the U.S. Department of Education.
- The lawsuit challenges cuts to $1 billion in mental health program funding.
- The discontinued funding affects programs initiated after the Uvalde school shooting.
- The lawsuit alleges violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and constitutional principles.
Coalition of States Challenges Education Cuts
A coalition of 16 Democratic-led states, spearheaded by New York Attorney General Letitia James, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The lawsuit, filed in a Seattle federal court, accuses the Department of Education of unlawfully terminating mental health funding for schools, a move that defies congressional intent outlined in the Administrative Procedure Act.
16 States Sue Trump Admin. to Restore Mental Health Grants for Schools https://t.co/cyTwLnRGwO pic.twitter.com/VhxEMVOlTU
— Education Week (@educationweek) July 1, 2025
The funding cuts, amounting to approximately $1 billion, target initiatives set to improve school mental health systems across the U.S., impacting Maryland and various other states. Originally, these programs were part of the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a crucial legislative response following a tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Watch a report: Trump withholds $800 million in education grants for California
The Role of Legislation and Mental Health Services
Congress appropriated over $100 million to hire 14,000 mental health professionals, facilitating crucial services that served nearly 775,000 students in their first year. Positive reports from the National Association of School Psychologists cited a 50% reduction in suicide risks, improved student behaviors, and greater engagement.
“Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined a coalition of 16 state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit late Monday against the U.S. Department of Education for illegally cutting congressionally approved funding for mental health programs in K-12 schools.” – news release mocoshow.com
This lawsuit claims the Education Department’s decision to end funding was not only unlawful but “arbitrary and capricious.” The plaintiffs allege that these cuts will disproportionately impact students in rural and lower-income schools, leaving many without access to essential mental health care.
Implications of Federal Funding Cuts
In Maryland and other states, institutions such as Bowie State University and the University of Maryland at Baltimore face significant financial challenges due to these cuts. Consequently, these vital programs now risk termination, meaning layoffs for school-based mental health staff and loss of scholarships for future professionals.
The lawsuit further accuses the department’s decision as ideologically driven, lacking substantial evidence against the performance of these programs. While the Trump administration claimed a need to “re-envision and re-compete” the grants under new departmental priorities, millions of students risk losing indispensable mental health support.
