Panel Mulls Expansion of Mental Health Programs at Schools
The Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission on Thursday is scheduled to vote on a proposal that would expand suicide- and violence-prevention programs in California schools and colleges, the Sacramento Bee reports.
The four-year, $60 million initiative would use funding from Proposition 63 for peer support, training and awareness programs in K-12 and higher education institutions (Lin, Sacramento Bee, 6/14). California voters in 2004 approved Proposition 63 to provide funds for mental health care services (California Healthline, 4/10).
Under the proposal, the state would provide grants to schools, colleges and foundations for programs, such as crisis hotlines and drop-in crisis centers. The grants would require a matching fund.
The commission is expected to approve the initiative, which was drafted in response to the April shootings at Virginia Tech (Sacramento Bee, 6/14).