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Pinellas board approves $5 million mental health assistance allocation plan
Summary
The Pinellas County School Board on July 29 approved the district's 2025-26 mental health assistance allocation plan, a state-required submission for $5 million in categorical funds; the district noted it already spends about $28 million on student mental health.
The Pinellas County School Board voted 7-0 on July 29 to approve the district's 2025-26 mental health assistance allocation plan, a state-required submission that requests $5,000,000 in categorical funding from the Florida Department of Education.
The plan is one component of the district's broader mental health spending. "This is, you know, $5,000,000 of the $28,000,000 that you all have supported and allocated for our students' mental health," said Donna Sicilian, executive director of student services, at the board meeting, adding that the approved plan will be uploaded to the state for review the next day.
Why it matters: Schools are the primary access point for youth mental health services; Sicilian told the board that about 80% of young people who receive mental health care get it at school. Board members emphasized that the categorical plan is only part of the district's total mental health work and thanked student services staff for ongoing response efforts.
Board discussion and public input: Board member Mrs. Long thanked Sicilian and her team for their work, saying, "I feel this is an excellent plan." Vice Chair Caprice Edmond urged the inclusion of student voice in planning: "It's very important to share that you include student voice." Sicilian also reminded the board the DOE will review the uploaded plan and request additional information if necessary.
At the start of the meeting, Dr. Sonia Halman, MD, a parent and retired physician who had signed up to speak to the item, urged the board to continue advocacy for federal funding and asked for a board resolution. "I'd also ask you to make a resolution that Pinellas County School Board affirms the value of stable and adequate federal education funding for specifically our special ed, our students that need a little extra help with mental health," Halman said during public comment.
Action taken: The board passed a motion to approve Item 8.1, the 2025-26 mental health assistance allocation plan, 7-0. Sicilian said she would submit the approved plan to the Florida Department of Education for review.
What happens next: After submission the DOE will review and may request clarifications before releasing the categorical funds; the district indicated those steps would follow the board's approval.
