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Hanover County CSB Scrambles After $500,000 Cut to School-Based Mental Health Services
Summary
A proposed $500,000 cut in the Jan. 20 school budget would remove funding for five school-based clinician positions; CSB staff say they have identified funding for two positions and are pursuing alternative programming and advocacy while monitoring a state budget amendment.
On Feb. 12, 2026, the Hanover County Community Services Board's Legislative Advocacy Committee reviewed staff reports that the proposed school budget announced Jan. 20 would eliminate $500,000 in contractual mental health funding and remove support for five school-based clinician positions. CSB staff said county funding currently covers one clinician and one clinical supervisor and that they are pursuing other funding options to preserve services.
Ivy Sager, Community Services Board staff, told the committee that staff met with impacted school clinicians on Jan. 21 and with Mr. Budesky on Jan. 30 and that efforts to coordinate shared messaging before the budget announcement were not successful. Bret Schardein and Jennifer Sheppard also briefed committee members on next steps; staff reported they have identified funding to cover two of the five clinicians and are considering alternate programming while seeking additional funding.
Committee members noted that school staff and parents had provided public comment at the School Board budget hearing and at the Feb. 11 Board of Supervisors meeting, and that CSB staff and others are expected to speak at the Feb. 23 CSB Board meeting. Jennifer Sheppard also participated in an interview with NBC12 and is responding to multiple data requests about the program, staff said. The committee emphasized both short-term program continuity and longer-term advocacy as dual priorities.
The committee did not take a formal vote on a policy at the Feb. 12 meeting. Staff will continue to pursue interim funding and report updates to the committee and to the full CSB; the next committee meeting is scheduled for March 9, 2026.
