(The Center Square) – California Attorney General Rob Bonta and a coalition of 14 other Democratic state attorneys general secured a temporary court order blocking the U.S. Department of Education from terminating two federal school mental health grant programs.
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington granted the coalition's request for a temporary restraining order, preventing the Education Department from ending funding for the School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program and the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program.
The order remains in effect through Aug. 24, while the court considers the coalition's request for a preliminary injunction, the typical next step after a temporary restraining order.
The grant programs provide counselors, psychologists, social workers and other mental health professionals within schools, especially in lower-income communities.
Ending the grants would result in an estimated $20 million loss in mental health services for Washington state's students, according to Washington Attorney General Nick Brown.
The coalition filed suit earlier in July after the Department of Education renewed efforts to terminate the grants.
The attorneys general also sought an emergency temporary restraining order, which the court granted. In granting the temporary restraining order, the court concluded that the department's termination plan likely violates the Administrative Procedure Act.
The coalition argues that “the Department’s termination plan is likely arbitrary and capricious.”
According to the lawsuit, in February 2025, the U.S. Department of Education adopted a new priority of “eliminating discrimination” to ensure that the grants “do not support or take part in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives." The suit quoted the department as saying such efforts “can violate both the letter and purpose of Federal civil rights law and conflict with the Department’s policy of prioritizing merit, fairness, and excellence in education."
Bonta said in a statement that the ruling preserves critical mental health resources for schools.
“The court’s ruling blocks its unlawful attempt to terminate these grants while our case moves forward,” said the California attorney general. “We will continue fighting the Administration’s illegal actions and ensure schools have fair access to essential mental health services.”
Bonta joins other attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin in the coalition.
The Center Square reached out to the California Attorney General’s office, the Department of Education and various school districts that have these mental health programs for comment but did not receive a response before publication time.
"Esther is an education reporter for The Center Square. Please email her at ewickham@thecentersquare.com for tips or questions."
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