Oklahoma City, OKCPS receive a combined $11.5M in funding for youth mental health

The Oklahoma City community will benefit over the next five years from $11.5 million in new federal funding to expand mental health services for children and youth.

The City of OKC and Oklahoma City Public Schools each received competitive grants from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to address a significant and growing need for mental health support for children and young people across the city. 

Together, the grants are a major funding lift that builds on years of work from initiatives like EmbraceOKC and Oklahoma City’s mental health leadership team, a community-led group of cross-sector leaders convened by Healthy Minds Policy Initiative in 2024.

The City of OKC will receive $1 million per year over four years through a Children’s Mental Health Initiative grant. Through the grant, the City will work with mental health service providers to develop a comprehensive, coordinated system of care to serve children and youth with high mental health needs as well as their families.  

While the project will serve youth citywide, it will give special attention to two high-need zip codes: 73127, in the western part of Oklahoma City just north of I-40, and 73108, on the south side of the city.  

“This grant enables us to expand our collaborative work with mental health service providers to support Oklahoma City’s young people,” Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said. “We are also grateful to receive our grant alongside our partners at Oklahoma City Public Schools. These grants collectively represent an important investment in our city’s youth.”

The grant project will build on the OKC Public Safety Partnership’s ongoing efforts to reshape public safety and emergency response for residents.

Separately, OKCPS will receive about $1.5 million a year over five years through a Project AWARE grant. The district will use the grant to strengthen and scale up its school-based mental health services and supports for students.

“Every child deserves to feel safe, supported, and ready to learn,” said Dr. Jamie Polk, Superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools. “Through EmbraceOKC, an initiative of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Compact supported by United Way of Central Oklahoma, our community has demonstrated a shared commitment. The SAMHSA Project AWARE grant builds on that foundation by strengthening our three-tiered system of mental health support, expanding prevention and early intervention, and connecting students and families to specialized services through community partnerships. When we remove barriers to learning, we create greater opportunities for every student to thrive and fulfill their unique purpose.”

Through the grant, OKCPS will build on the work of EmbraceOKC, the collaborative effort to bring students three levels of mental health support at school: universal mental health promotion and substance use prevention, early intervention for students at risk, and treatment for students struggling with mental illness or substance use. 

Healthy Minds supported the city and the school district in applying for the grants and will serve as third-party evaluator for each. Both grants address challenges identified in Healthy Minds’ 2025 assessment of Oklahoma City’s greatest needs, strengths and challenges around mental health and substance use.  

The report found high levels of mental health need among Oklahoma City children and youth, along with high risk factors for future substance use. But too few students receive early, upstream prevention education that can prevent these challenges before they ever surface. 

Related: New report identifies Oklahoma City’s most urgent mental health challenges

The assessment’s analysis of the state-funded mental health system in Oklahoma City also found rising ER visits for behavioral health among youth from 2019 to 2024. Over the same period, 25% fewer children received outpatient care, signaling challenges in serving kids with early, upstream care. 

“Proactive mental health care and prevention education for students is how we build a stronger, healthier community for the next generation of Oklahoma City residents,” said Zack Stoycoff, president and CEO of Healthy Minds. “Either one of these grants would have been a major win for the community. To receive both at once is outstanding, and it means we have the opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of young people in Oklahoma City.” 

Healthy Minds is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to solving Oklahoma’s mental health and substance use challenges. Healthy Minds operates statewide, with offices and staff in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. 

About the grants

Project AWARE 

• Awardee: Oklahoma City Public Schools  
• Funds the development of school-based mental health systems 
• Approximately $1.5M per year over 5 years: $7.5M total  
• Award is from SAMHSA: Grant # SM-26-005  

Children’s Mental Health Initiative  

• Awardee: City of Oklahoma City 
• Funds comprehensive behavioral health services for children and youth (ages 0-21) with serious emotional disturbance or serious mental illness  
• $1M over 4 years: $4M total
• Award is from SAMHSA: Grant # SM-26-013