Commission Recommends Boost to School Mental Health and Safety Funding
Update: Apr 29-May 12, 2025
The Michigan School Safety and Mental Health Commission has released its final set of recommendations, urging lawmakers to increase per-pupil funding and address staffing shortages for school-based mental health and safety professionals. Formed in response to the 2021 Oxford High School shooting, the commission consulted with experts, educators, and families to develop ten recommendations aimed at strengthening mental health services and school safety statewide.
A key concern highlighted in the report is Michigan’s significant gap in staffing ratios of school counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Our state has just one school psychologist for every 1,500 students—three times higher than the ratio recommended by the National Association of School Psychologists. The commission called for a multi-year plan to meet national staffing standards and retain qualified professionals.
Additional recommendations include promoting trauma-informed practices, expanding social-emotional learning, and ensuring staff are trained to identify and respond to student mental health needs. The commission emphasized that effective change requires consistent funding, fewer policy shifts, and a long-term plan to grow Michigan’s school mental health workforce.