Budget Advocacy
Even before the pandemic, thousands of DC children struggled to access the behavioral health services they needed to thrive. That’s why our coalition has long advocated for the District to fully invest in the School-Based Behavioral Health Program (SBBH) to help meet children’s behavioral health needs. Learn more about what SBBH is and how it works.
FY26 Budget Advocacy
The Strengthening Families Through Behavioral Health Coalition submitted a letter to Mayor Bowser with the following four recommendations for the FY26 budget to ensure that every DC student has access to Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).
Establish a minimum SBBH community-based grant while maintaining, with inflationary adjustments, the current funding for the SBBH Expansion Program.
Provide compensation for the SBBH Coordinator role at all 254 schools.
Fully fund the Child Behavioral Health Services Dashboard Act of 2024 over the four-year fiscal plan.
Fund a School-Based Behavioral Health Management Analyst position at OSSE.
Prior Budget Advocacy
See budget letters and other budget advocacy materials from the Strengthening Families Through Behavioral Health Coalition over the last several years.