Trump administration cuts Maine school mental health grants

The Trump administration has cut the Expanding Access in School Environments (EASE Maine) grant, a federal program designed to fund school counselors and social workers in Maine. The funding, which originated from the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, provided approximately $1.7 million annually to nine districts, primarily rural and small.

In Skowhegan, the grant supported clinical counseling that contributed to a decrease in students reporting suicidal ideation, dropping from 19.5% in 2023 to 11% in 2025. In Lewiston, mental health professionals were hired to assist staff and students following a 2023 mass shooting.

The administration stated in an April 2025 letter to the Maine Department of Education that the program was being cut because it reflected the “prior Administration’s priorities and policy preferences and conflict with those of the current Administration.” Local educators expressed frustration, noting they had complied with all grant requirements.