Oakland County presents ARPA-funded school mental health grant report; board receives and files

Oakland County staff presented a final report on the ARPA-funded Oakland County School Mental Health Grant Program and the Oakland County Board of Commissioners Public Health & Safety Committee voted to receive and file the report.

The report said the Board of Commissioners appropriated about $10,100,000 in ARPA funds in June 2023 to create the grant program. Thirty-four applicants received funding that, the report says, benefited roughly 156,000 students across the county; county and school match dollars together brought the total available to about $11,600,000. Staff said roughly $8,300,000 was distributed and about $1,850,000 was returned to the ARPA general fund.

Program investments cited in the report included personnel, professional learning, curriculum development, student enrichment and nontraditional supports such as therapy dogs. Staff reported the grants funded about 323 mental health professionals and trained roughly 4,000 faculty and staff through self-reported school metrics. The program used an ad hoc oversight committee to develop, review and recommend applications for Board approval.

Commissioners asked about durability and follow-up. Commissioner Spitz asked whether schools were continuing the programs after the grant period; a staff presenter said some districts represented to her that programs such as “Zen zones” are ongoing but that the county has not received formal, consistent post-award reporting from all schools. Commissioner Gershenson asked how the county will follow up in districts with especially high use of services; the presenter said that question is a good follow-up opportunity but noted the county has not received formal consolidated status reports from every grantee.

The committee moved to receive and file the report. Commissioner Taylor made the motion and Commissioner Christensen provided support; the committee recorded the motion as carried.

The report and slides were described as containing program-level success stories and photographs provided by schools; staff recommended readers review the full written report for detailed success examples and quarterly reporting submitted by grantees.

The committee action was procedural: receive and file. No new funding or policy change for the grant program was proposed at the meeting.