ACA has been successful in advocating for increased grant money for school counseling. We need your help to do that again this year. We will continue to work for funding increases and for the passage of legislation such as the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act.
Last year's Defense, Labor HHS- Education package provides $1.17 billion for Title IV-A, The Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant Program (SSAE) in FY 19. This is a $70 million increase over FY18. Among other things, the grants fund activities that make up a well-rounded education, including those that expand access to, or coordinate resources for, important school-based mental health services and supports. These activities may include the development of critical tools such as trauma-informed practices and the establishment and maintenance of school counseling and bullying-prevention programs.
This additional funding will help provide all students with more access to mental health services within a school setting. Schools will be able to hire more school counselors, create more opportunities for mental-health –related programs and develop programs designed to help create a safe and healthy school environment and end school violence
With your help The American Counseling Association (ACA) can continue to advocate to ensure full funding for the SSAE grant program and encourage Congress to provide adequate funding to keep the program firmly in place. Make your voice heard and be an agent for change! Please help ACA in its advocacy efforts to provide more opportunity for our nation’s children.
Background: The student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) Grant Program
In FY 2017, the Elementary and secondary School Counseling Program was rolled in to the Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant program under Title IV, part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
The American Counseling Association successfully advocated to ensure full funding for the SSAE grant program. Working with the Title IA-A Coalition, ACA encouraged Congress to provide adequate funding to keep the program firmly in place and to reject the government’s initial piecemeal approach to funding.
Find more information on the student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) Grant Program.