Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is awarding an additional $1.8 million in grant funding to the City of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe ISD for the development of a long-term resiliency center and additional school and community counseling services.
The governor's office made the announcement Wednesday in response to the shooting at Santa Fe High School on May 18 that left 10 dead and 13 injured.
In a statement released Wednesday, the governor's office said, "The City of Santa Fe's resiliency center will provide support for communication services, donor management, social activities, and case management. Staff will be trauma-informed and the center will serve as a focal point for the city's mental health response. Funding to Santa Fe ISD will provide additional on-campus counseling services for students, employees, and administration members suffering from trauma endured in the aftermath of the Santa Fe school shooting through the addition of three licensed professional counselors and a family and marriage counselor."
"As the Santa Fe community continues to struggle with the tragedy that occurred this past spring, these grants will provide welcome relief," said Abbott. "I thank our local, state, and federal partners for their work in making these funds available, and the State of Texas will continue to assist the entire Santa Fe community in the aftermath of this tragedy."
To date, the Office of the Governor's Criminal Justice Division has awarded over $5.7 million in grants to Santa Fe, surrounding communities and responding agencies following the Santa Fe school shooting, Abbott's office said.
According to the governor's office, grant funding was used to support both short and long-term activities such as increased mental health counselors and resources, crisis response services, emergency consultations, psychological first aid, statewide active shooter training, school marshal certifications, behavioral threat assessments, and state level coordination and communication resources to local service providers.
The below organizations have received grant funding assistance for their school safety response:
- City of Santa Fe - $1,507,985
- Galveston County - $61,146
- Gulf Coast Center - $1,242,223
- National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) - $32,000
- Santa Fe ISD - $322,000
- Texas Commission on Law Enforcement - $114,586
- Texas Education Service Center (ESC) Region 4 - $687,586
- Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) - $1,121,620
- Texas State University ALERRT Center - $575,000
- Texas State University School Safety Center - $81,022
