Del Valle Independent School District (DVISD) will receive $1,151,269 through the Mental Health Service Professional (MHSP) Demonstration Grant Program, aimed at expanding mental health services and recruiting more providers for local schools. DVISD is one of 65 school districts nationwide selected for the funding.
The grant is part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, signed into law in 2022, which allocates resources for school safety, mental health services, and strengthened gun control measures.
Partnership with University of Texas Graduate Students
The federal funding comes from a four-year program totaling more than $6.4 million. As part of the initiative, DVISD will partner with the University of Texas to place graduate students training to become school psychologists in district schools.
UT students will participate in practicum, internship, and third-year placements within DVISD, gaining hands-on experience. “This is a unique opportunity to train students as they begin their careers,” a district representative said.
The grant will also fund national mental health training for school psychologists and support the hiring of three additional school psychologist interns annually over the four-year program.
DVISD officials said the goal is to build a comprehensive, proactive mental health program across all schools and create a pipeline of qualified school psychologists to address critical staffing needs. “We are very grateful for the grant, which supports our staff, students, and families,” the representative added. “We want all students to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically, both now and in the future.”
Elsewhere in Texas, Education Service Center Region 20 in San Antonio received over $600,000 from the MHSP Demonstration Grant Program, while Region One Education Service Center in Edinburg received nearly $2 million.
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