Hartford, CT – Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has teamed up with a coalition of 16 state attorneys general to file a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education, aiming to halt what they describe as unlawful reductions in funding for school-based mental health services. This action follows the department’s announcement of a termination of over $3 million in funding that supports mental health initiatives for students in four Connecticut cities: Hartford, New Britain, Vernon, and Waterbury.
“By cutting funding for these lifesaving youth mental health programs, the Department of Education is abandoning our children when they need us most,” said New York Attorney General James. “These grants have helped thousands of students access critical mental health services at a time when young people are facing record levels of depression, trauma, and anxiety. To eliminate these grants now would be a grave disservice to children and families in New York and nationwide, and my office is fighting back to preserve these much-needed programs.”
“SUNY is grateful to Attorney General James for protecting New Yorkers, including critical resources for mental health support,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “At a time when school-based mental health services are more important than ever, SUNY is proud that our campuses play a vital role in training mental health providers and we will vigorously defend this important work.”
“Finding solutions to the mental health crisis hurting our children is top of mind for me and for people in every Colorado community. This illegal action by the U.S. Department of Education to rip away critical funding couldn’t be happening at a worse time,” said Colorado Attorney General Weiser. “Colorado is taking action because our educational leaders need every tool possible to support kids who are struggling with disconnectedness, loneliness, and isolation. I will continue to go to court whenever the federal government breaks the law and harms Coloradans.”
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This funding is part of a $1 billion initiative that Congress approved after the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, which aimed to deploy 14,000 mental health professionals in schools with high needs across the nation. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) reports that the program has already made a considerable difference: nearly 775,000 students have been served, 1,300 mental health professionals have been hired, and there has been a 50% reduction in suicide risk in the schools that participated.
The University of Connecticut (UConn) was one of the beneficiaries, awarded a five-year grant of $3.01 million to place 25 graduate student social work interns in schools throughout the four cities, impacting nearly 46,000 students. However, on April 29, UConn and other recipients were notified that their funding would be cut by the end of 2025, citing a change in priorities under the Trump Administration.
“This hurts kids who need us the most,” said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong. “Once again, Trump is ignoring Congress to take money from kids and schools to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. Our kids desperately need mental health supports, and far too few of them are getting the help they need. Congress was right to establish this program, and we’re not going to let Trump steal these funds from our schools.”
“Growing up in 2025 presents a unique set of challenges, many of which have detrimental impacts on our kids’ overall mental health,” said Rhode Island Attorney General Neronha. “The good news: mental health is discussed more openly and treated more widely than ever before. The bad news: this Administration is again attempting to unlawfully revoke federal funding, passed by Congress, to help school-age children deal with the myriad of issues they confront on a daily basis. From bullying to loneliness to the ever-present fear of violence, including school shootings, our kids desperately need the resources made possible by these grants. And we will always fight for the safety of our children.”
“As our young people face a nationwide mental health epidemic, it is critical to ensure they have access to the resources they need, including mental health professionals in schools,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “The Trump Administration does not have the power to arbitrarily revoke grant funding that provides critical mental health services to our students. I will continue to fight against unlawful federal actions that harm our children.”
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, argues that the funding cuts violate the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution. The attorneys general are seeking a court order to overturn the decision and reinstate the funding.
States joining the lawsuit include California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin.
