City Of Tulsa, Tulsa Public Schools Receive Grants To Focus On Children's Mental Health

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The City of Tulsa and Tulsa Public Schools have been given $13 million to address mental health needs for children. 

The money will help kids connect kids with the services and resources they need. 

Mayor G.T. Bynum says the city has the expertise and ideas to help children's mental health, and because of this grant, it'll now have the money.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Ebony Johnson says taking care of students is the number one priority for Tulsa Public Schools and the City of Tulsa. 

"It's very difficult for us to achieve that level when we have students who are in the most critical set of need, but we don't have the resources to address their needs," she said. 

TPS will get $9 million through the next five years dedicated to students' mental health, while the city will receive $4 million through four years.

Mayor G.T. Bynum says during the pandemic, there was a 117% increase in psychiatric inpatient admissions for children in Tulsa. 

"We've seen a dramatic increase in psychiatric care admissions, ER admissions, and hospital admissions, but we are still not getting to all the kids who need this help," he said. 

Bynum says the city created a position in 2021 dedicated to mental health, and because of this grant, a new role can be added to the team focusing on kids.

"We will have a team here at the City of Tulsa that comes to work every day, isn't distracted by anything else, they are laser-focused on this specific issue," he said. 

Dr. Johnson says this grant will help the district educate teachers to support students' mental health and make sure the students are thriving. 

"And get our students to a point when they are walking across the stage, we've given them so much support, they are ready to go to seek out all of their opportunities, with no barriers, not those same challenges, where they are able to navigate," she said.