State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly has announced a proposal for over $304 million in new funding aimed at enhancing youth mental health services as part of her 2025-27 Biennial Budget request.
During a recent visit to Pulaski High School, Dr. Underly engaged with students in a question-and-answer session, gaining insights into their current mental health needs and how the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s budget request could provide support.
The urgency of this proposal is underscored by data from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which reveals that 59 percent of Wisconsin high school students reported experiencing at least one mental health challenge in the past year.
“In my State of Education Address last month, I emphasized that the status quo is not sustainable,” Dr. Underly stated. “We recognize the actions needed to address this alarming mental health crisis.”
The proposed budget seeks to significantly enhance access to essential mental health services in schools by ensuring that educational institutions are equipped with the necessary staff to meet the challenges faced by students. The full budget request from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), set to be released in November, will focus on significant investments in K-12 public education, with a dedicated emphasis on mental health.
Key components of the DPI’s budget request include:
- Expansion of School-Based Mental Health Services Program: Every local education agency will receive $100 per pupil (with a minimum of $100,000 per school district), broadening the funding’s intended uses, amounting to approximately $168 million over the biennium.
- Broadened Eligibility for Mental Health Aid: Funding will now cover not only school social workers but also school counselors, psychologists, and nurses, targeting reimbursement at 20 percent of all prior-year aidable costs, with a total of $130 million allocated over the biennium.
- Enhanced Training Funding: An increase of $760,000 over the biennium to expand mental health training opportunities for schools.
- Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention Grant Program: Allowing middle school students to participate, increasing the maximum grant award to $6,000, and providing at least 100 grants, totaling $700,000 over the biennium.
- Funding for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Programs: Approximately $5 million allocated over the biennium to support the implementation or expansion of existing AODA programs in schools.
Dr. Underly’s proposal aims to tackle the pressing mental health challenges faced by youth in Wisconsin and emphasizes the importance of comprehensive support systems within educational settings.
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