Florida schools struggle to fund mental health services amid growing demand

Public News Service | By Trimmel Gomes | January 28, 2025

With Florida facing a youth mental health crisis, outdated Medicaid reimbursement policies are leaving schools struggling to meet growing demands, despite opportunities to utilize federal funding to expand services.

Karen Thomas, Medicaid coordinator for Leon County Schools, advocated for significant changes to how mental health services are funded in schools. Recognizing schools are often a trusted resource where students are more likely to seek help, Thomas called for a funding model for mental health services similar to Medicaid’s support for school nurses, ensuring schools can effectively address students’ needs.

“Bring that funding source up to date,” Thomas urged. “Draw down those additional funds and to change the thinking of the state Medicaid agency to help them align with what the federal government supports which is paying for those mental health services at school because that ultimately helps to make kids healthier, more productive.”

Currently, Florida schools are reimbursed for mental health services using outdated data from 1997. Thomas argued it is a mismatch between what schools are reimbursed and the real cost of services today. Florida’s School Mental Health Report Card showed more than two-thirds of children with major depression did not receive treatment in 2022.

Angela Kimball, chief advocacy officer for the mental health advocacy organization Inseparable, emphasized school-based mental health programs are among the most effective.

“Research is showing that youths who can get school-based services are six times more likely to complete a full course of treatment than with community-based treatment,” Kimball reported.

According to the Mental Health Report Card, the state’s ratio of one school counselor for every 459 students falls far below the recommended 1:250 standard, creating significant barriers to access.

According to Inseparable, half of youths aged 12-17 with depression are not receiving the treatment they need. Cost, transportation challenges, lack of providers, insurance barriers and stigma influence the gap.