The Governor of Illinois JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) have earmarked $9.5m in funding towards post-Covid-19 mental health services for children and adolescents in Illinois.

Ranging from $83,000 to just over $400,000, the grants have been distributed to 40 entities.

Of these grants, 60% were allocated to schools, 20% to hospital or clinic-based programmes, 17.5% to local health departments, and 2.5% to colleges.

This funding includes $500,000 in state dollars from the CDC's Covid-19 Public Health Workforce Supplemental Funding programme, authorised by the American Rescue Plan Act.

The initiatives aim to enhance student care through workforce improvements, adverse childhood experience prevention, trauma assistance, and expanding adolescent mental health resources through training and support for medical and school staff.

This initiative was managed by the IDPH's Office of Women's Health & Family Services, benefiting over 50% of applicants seeking to improve mental health services for students in Illinois.

Among the proposals are student support programmes, specialised curriculums, mental health training for teachers and school staff, suicide awareness and prevention efforts.

Other proposals include mental health outreach plans, and the provision of telehealth counselling and evaluation services.

IDPH director Dr. Sameer Vohra said: “IDPH is excited to support innovative ideas from across the state dedicated to addressing the mental health needs of children and young people.

“From Winnebago County in the north to Gallatin County in Southern Illinois, we were impressed with the thoughtful proposals we received from schools, health care providers, local health departments, and colleges to strengthen child and adolescent health.”