$4 million federal grant aimed at helping with school psychologist shortage

Hundreds of Grandview School District students in need of mental health resources stand to benefit from a new $4 million federal grant aimed at addressing the growing shortage of school psychologists in rural communities around the state.

The regional partnership, known as the Yakima Valley School Psychology Consortium, is supported by Central Washington University and Eastern Washington University, and will serve about a half-dozen rural, high-need districts, including Grandview, Wapato, Sunnyside, Mabton, Mount Adams, and Toppenish.

According to a story on Apple Valley News Now, the partnership was developed in an effort to bring multiple school districts and universities together to create a sustainable pipeline of mental health professionals for underserved areas across Washington.

Four or five years ago, the Grandview School District started paying for the education of some of its employees to become school psychologists, superintendent Rob Darling said.

“Otherwise, we were having to contract with a third-party contractor to provide school psych services," he said.

The four-year grant will primarily fund paid internships, helping graduate students — including many at CWU — complete their required training in rural schools while creating pathways to long-term employment in the region. Students will receive up to $30,000 in reimbursement, along with travel and meal expenses during their internships.

“Some of these funds will pay the students for their travel reimbursement for meals and such while they're doing their internships, and it also pays them up to $30,000 in reimbursement to each of the students,” Darling explained.

The grant also funds a full-time project director and administrative support. The long-term goal of the consortium is to keep trained school psychologists working in rural districts even after the federal funding expires, creating lasting change in how these communities address student mental health needs.

“School psychs can play a big, positive role in the lives of many students,” Darling said.