Three years after receiving a $1.7 million annual grant under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, nine Maine school districts are now facing a shortfall after the Trump administration terminated the program. The grant, known as Expanding Access in School Environments (EASE), was designed to fund school counselors and social workers to address a growing mental‑health crisis among students.
Local impact of the funding loss
In Skowhegan, the grant allowed the district to provide clinical counseling that helped lower the percentage of students who seriously considered suicide from 19.5 % in 2023 to 11 % in 2025, according to Assistant Superintendent Mark Hatch. Lewiston schools used the money to hire mental‑health professionals after the 2023 mass shooting, while Regional School Unit 12 in the Somerville area added staff so a single social worker no longer had to travel between five schools in three counties.
When the Trump administration sent an April 2025 letter to the Maine Department of Education stating the program conflicted with its current priorities, the grant was abruptly halted. “We complied with all of the grant requirements and felt we had a good‑faith agreement with the federal government,” said Deborah Taylor, RSU 12 director of curriculum and technology. “To have that support disappear was frustrating.”
Legal battle and partial funding
Maine joined a coalition of states in a lawsuit challenging the cuts. A district court ordered the administration to release the funding, but the state received only $688,000—less than half of its annual allocation. In June, the Department of Education disclosed that the termination was driven by opposition to DEI language in the grant application, a detail not previously communicated to districts.
U.S. District Judge Kymberly Evanson ruled on July 27 that the department’s action “reflects an unexplained change in policy” and violates congressional intent. Her order blocks further cancellations until August 24, giving districts a brief window to seek a more permanent solution.
Why the grant mattered
Maine has long struggled with youth mental‑health needs. In 2024 the state settled a Justice Department case for failing to provide adequate behavioral health services, and Governor Janet Mills pledged additional investments. Yet more than 18 % of Maine children are diagnosed with anxiety—the highest rate in the nation—and 22 % have experienced multiple adverse childhood experiences.
Data from the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey show that increased school‑based mental‑health services are beginning to improve outcomes. In Lewiston, 31 % of students (about 1,785) received direct counseling from grant‑funded providers over the last two years, a critical resource after the 2023 shooting that claimed 18 lives.
Looking ahead
School leaders remain uncertain about future funding. “We’re in a holding pattern, not knowing whether we will get additional money or where the grant stands,” said EASE grant manager Bethany Cunningham. Districts are forced to re‑budget, and some providers may not return in the fall.
The controversy highlights a broader clash between the Trump administration’s anti‑DEI stance and Congress’s original intent to ensure equitable access to mental‑health resources for students. As the legal fight continues, Maine educators and families hope for a swift resolution that restores vital support for their children.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
