Urgent: Federal Funding Cuts Endanger Heritage University and ESD 105 Programs – What You Need to Know

Heritage University and Educational Service District (ESD) 105 recently learned that their federal grants for training social workers and mental health counselors will end on December 31. These grants, part of the 2022 Safer Communities Act, aimed to combat the lack of mental health providers in schools by training local students, especially from underserved backgrounds.

This year, 17 students will graduate with a Master of Social Work (MSW) and complete their internships in May. Additionally, 18 students in the mental health counseling program are finishing their first year and are set to start internships in August.

Emily Clarke, ESD’s Executive Director of Student Support, highlighted the impact of this funding cut. “If one of our interns helps about 30 students, we’re talking about over 1,100 kids in the valley who won’t receive necessary mental health support next school year,” she explained. This situation worsens an already critical shortage of mental health resources in schools.

According to the Department of Education, the program’s discontinuation is due to a misalignment with current priorities. Corey Hodge, Vice President of Student Affairs at Heritage University, expressed frustration. “It’s hard to understand why children’s mental health services aren’t prioritized,” he said. With so many students needing help, losing this program feels like a serious setback.

ESD 105 has been growing steadily. Since 2019, the Student Support Department grew from nine to 86 staff, with more than 40 clinicians now working in schools. “The Intern Program was designed to create a path for these interns to work in schools,” noted Hodge. Early intervention can significantly reduce mental health issues in the long run.

Currently, some districts face alarming counselor-to-student ratios, exceeding 1,000 to one—compared to the recommended 250 to one. “This loss affects high-need schools that lack mental health counselors. It’s tragic for our rural districts,” Hodge added.

While Heritage University can continue offering its Master’s programs, the lack of funding limits ESD’s ability to support schools without existing staff. Hodge reassured students that the university will maintain the Master’s in Mental Health Counseling and MSW programs, but they may have to adapt how they deliver their training.

In light of the funding cuts, ESD is planning to appeal the decision. They aim to highlight the bipartisan support behind the Safer Communities Act and its intended benefits for community safety and student mental health.

Emily Nelson, Executive Director of Student Support at ESD 105, pointed out the broad impact of the cuts. “Many partners across Washington are affected by this decision,” she said. ESD 105 is preparing to draft a letter to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office to challenge the funding cut.

The challenge emphasizes the urgent need for a trained workforce to meet community mental health needs. “We’re committed to finding ways to continue graduate programs in social work and mental health counseling, even if it’s more challenging,” Hodge concluded.

This funding loss emphasizes the ongoing struggle to meet the mental health demands of schools and indicates a growing concern about the well-being of students in underserved communities.



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Heritage University,ESD 105,Federal cuts,Mental health,Social workers,Safer Communities Act,Training programs,Student support