Fifteen states have filed suit against the federal government to block cuts to school mental health grants, joining what has become one of the largest multistate legal challenges to education funding decisions by the Trump administration.
According to reporting by the Maine Morning Star, Maine joined 14 other states in the lawsuit targeting the administration's move to end funding that schools have used to hire counselors, psychologists, and other mental health staff. Wisconsin is among the states that signed on, according to WBAY, which reported the state's participation in the multistate action. Illinois filed its own separate suit as well, according to Crain's Chicago Business.
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown also sued the Department of Education over the cuts, according to My Bellingham Now. The legal actions come as schools across the country have warned that the loss of federal mental health grants could force them to eliminate positions and reduce services that students rely on daily.
The grants in question were part of a federal program designed to expand mental health support in K-12 schools. Many districts used the money to hire staff who work directly with students experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, and other conditions. Schools in rural and lower-income areas have been especially dependent on the funding, as they often lack the local tax base to replace federal dollars on their own.
The lawsuits argue that the administration did not follow proper legal procedures when it moved to end the grants, and that cutting the funding mid-cycle violates the terms under which the money was originally awarded. States contend that schools made staffing and program decisions based on the expectation that the grants would continue through their stated terms.
The scope of the legal challenge reflects how broadly the cuts were felt. States from the Midwest, Northeast, and Pacific Northwest all joined the action, suggesting the funding affected school districts across a wide range of political and geographic contexts.
No court date has been set publicly as of July 11, 2026. The outcome of the lawsuits could determine whether schools are forced to eliminate mental health programs before the academic year begins in the fall.
