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Santee School District accepts $2.68 million federal mental‑health grant
Summary
The Santee School District Board accepted a five‑year, $2,677,547 Elementary and Secondary School‑Based Mental Health Services Grant (Santee S.O.A.R.) to hire counselors and expand student mental‑health supports.
The Santee School District Board of Education on Jan. 21 accepted a five‑year U.S. Department of Education Elementary and Secondary School‑Based Mental Health Services Grant totaling $2,677,547 to expand school‑based mental‑health services.
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources/Pupil Services David MacLeod described the Santee S.O.A.R. award as a five‑year program that will provide "4.0 FTE School Counselor/School Social Workers, 0.25 FTE for Project Director, Solution‑Focused counselor training, equipment, and supplies" to increase on‑site support at district schools. The grant aims to reduce counselor‑to‑student ratios, increase professional development to retain counselors, and expand case‑management collaboration across MTSS and district care teams.
The Board commended staff for securing the funding and voted 5‑0 to accept the award. MacLeod said more information will be presented at a future meeting about implementation and allocation of positions funded by the grant. The acceptance was moved by Member Dianne El‑Hajj and carried unanimously.
The award provides explicit staffing and training resources intended to sustain services over five years; the district will report additional implementation details to the Board as plans are developed.
