{"id":46065,"date":"2026-01-15T09:09:55","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T14:09:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jedfoundation.org\/?p=46065"},"modified":"2026-01-15T09:16:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T14:16:35","slug":"local-philanthropy-funds-student-mental-health-scholarships-for-texas-region-10-districts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jedfoundation.org\/local-philanthropy-funds-student-mental-health-scholarships-for-texas-region-10-districts\/","title":{"rendered":"Local Philanthropy Funds Student Mental Health Scholarships for Texas Region 10 Districts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Selected d<\/span>istricts will be guided through a comprehensive process to evaluate their current systems, identify student mental health needs, and enhance systems of support for all pre-K\u201312 students.<\/span><\/p>\n

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[January 15, 2026, New York, Virginia, and Texas]<\/b> \u2014 Protecting students\u2019 mental health and emotional well-being is crucial to their development and ability to thrive academically, socially, and in their future careers. Yet, building top-tier mental health systems in schools is complex and requires deep expertise. <\/span>The Jed Foundation (JED)<\/span><\/a>, in partnership with <\/span>AASA, The School Superintendents Association<\/span><\/a>, and the <\/span>Texas Region 10 Education Service Center<\/span><\/a>, announced today the recipients of full scholarships to participate in the <\/span>North Texas JED and AASA District Mental Health Initiative<\/span><\/a> to strengthen their school mental health systems.<\/span><\/p>\n

This two-year program is made possible in part through philanthropic support from the <\/span>United Way of Metropolitan Dallas<\/span><\/a> and the <\/span>WoodNext Foundation<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>a component fund administered by Greater Houston Community Foundation.<\/span> United Way is a social change organization that unites the community to create opportunities for all North Texans to thrive.<\/span> The WoodNext Foundation manages the philanthropy of tech innovator and <\/span>Roku<\/span><\/a> CEO\/founder Anthony Wood and his wife Susan, and one of WoodNext\u2019s priorities is youth mental health. They have <\/span>partnered with JED<\/span><\/a> since 2023 to promote student mental health, and donated $3 million to implement JED\u2019s school-based mental health support systems throughout Texas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Recent Texas data<\/span><\/a> shows 17% of young people under 18 have experienced a mental, emotional, behavioral, or developmental challenge, and <\/span>Texas ranked nearly last<\/span><\/a> in the United States for mental health care access. Nationwide, suicide is the <\/span>second leading cause of death<\/span><\/a> among young people ages 10 to 34.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEnsuring the next generation of students across Texas have the resources they need to achieve their full potential is one of our core priorities,\u201d said Nancy Chan, WoodNext Foundation\u2019s Executive Director. \u201cWe\u2019re proud to support JED, AASA, and the Texas Region 10 Education Service Center in strengthening and supporting school districts through vital, life-saving support for pre-K\u201312 students struggling with their emotional health.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we believe all students deserve the chance to thrive, dream big, and grow into the leaders of tomorrow,\u201d said Susan Hoff, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas\u2019 Chief Strategy and Impact Officer. \u201cThis work is rooted in partnership \u2014 it takes all of us, coming together, to create lasting systemic change. We\u2019re proud to support JED, AASA, and the Texas Region 10 Education Service Center in driving meaningful, measurable progress in youth education, mental health, and well-being across north Texas.\u201d<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

School districts across the country are currently facing budgetary constraints, which requires making tough decisions and often cuts to programming \u2014 this can result in setbacks to student mental health support. <\/span>This unique partnership can serve as a potential scalable and replicable model for other districts to help leverage the power of local support through the\u00a0 collaboration of national expertise and technical assistance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRegion 10 is proud to partner with JED and AASA in launching the North Texas District Mental Health Initiative. We are eager to contribute to their proven track record of success across the country by supporting our local school districts in building strong mental health systems that serve the needs of students, staff, and communities alike,\u201d said Jennifer Farley, Region 10 Special Populations Program Coordinator for Mental and Behavioral Health.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grounded in <\/span>JED\u2019s Comprehensive Approach<\/span><\/a> to Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for Districts, the <\/span>North Texas JED and AASA District Mental Health Initiative<\/span> integrates recommended practices with field expertise to foster connected, thriving school communities and help make meaningful, sustainable, and measurable improvements in student well-being. <\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cAs a proud Texan, former school district leader, and current school programs leader at JED, I\u2019ve witnessed the emotional health and academic challenges facing schools, administrators, teachers, students, and families across my home state and the country,\u201d said Tony Walker, JED\u2019s Senior Vice President of School Programs and Consulting. \u201cWe know there\u2019s a clear link between students\u2019 mental health challenges and their engagement in the classroom. JED, AASA, and the Texas Region 10 Education Service Center are pleased to provide financial scholarships and technical assistance to help positively reshape school mental health systems.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Participating Region 10 districts will benefit from customized, strategic school mental health support and consultation from national experts. They will also <\/span>engage in cohort-based learning with peer collaboration and<\/span> have access to <\/span>curated training sessions that meet requirements of the Texas legislated mandates (HB8\/SB11) for school mental health.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt AASA, we believe that every student deserves access to a safe, supportive, and emotionally healthy learning environment,\u201d said David R. Schuler, Executive Director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association. \u201cThis initiative represents a powerful step forward in equipping school districts with the tools, guidance, and community partnerships necessary to build sustainable mental health systems. We are proud to collaborate with The Jed Foundation and Region 10 to support the well-being and success of students across North Texas.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Seven districts, representing more than 170 schools and 116,900 pre-K\u201312 students, have confirmed their participation in the inaugural cohort<\/span> of the North Texas JED and AASA District Mental Health Initiative, including:<\/span><\/p>\n