In Seattle, SPS unveils $14.55 million investment in student mental health

Seattle – Seattle students returning to campus Sept. 4 can expect to see more security and school counselors.

The addition is part of Mayor Bruce Harrell’s multi-million dollar budget for safety and mental health services for students.

City leaders unveiled the plan Thursday, months after the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Amarr Murphy-Paine in the parking lot of Garfield High School. The mayor said the first phase of this first-of-its-kind project will focus on adding resources to about 11 schools with high rates of violence.

High Schools: Rainier Beach, Garfield, Chief Seal International, Franklin, and Ingraham.

Middle Schools: Aki Kurose, Washington, Denny, Mercer, Robert Eagle Staff, and Meany.

Incoming Rainier Beach High School Senior Ray Proctor-Mills, Jr. is still a teenager but has lost many friends, and most recently his 17-year-old cousin Murphy-Paine in the shooting at Garfield High School.

“We need more support. We need more programs, more funding to get the programs we need,” he explained.

He said he was pleased with the initiative of Mayor Bruce Harrell and Seattle Public Schools.

Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones said that includes sending more police around the schools, as well as hiring more school counselors and 15 new security officers.

“We are doubling the number of security professionals at key schools,” Dr. Jones said. “These experts will strengthen relationships, monitor the school environment and deal with incidents as they arise.”

In addition, SPS will expand its violence prevention and intervention services with its current partners. Proctor-Mills, Jr. she told KOMO that supporters of the group Safe Passageways helped her through her grief.

“It can be putting me in programs to put money in my pocket through stipends through programs and it can be everything: sitting down to talk. It helps me,” he explained.

WATCH | Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is stepping up efforts to support student safety, mental health

Harrell said the city and school district have come up with the total number of dollars through months of math and talking to students about their needs, adding that this is an ongoing program and there could be an investment of more down the road. Last week the City Council approved $12.25 million toward the project, with Seattle Public Schools contributing an additional $2.3 million.

Garfield High School parent Jennifer Marquardt said she was frustrated by how the district responded in the days following the deadly spring shooting.

“It was unheard of,” he said. “The death of Amarr was the height of cruelty.”

She hopes the plan is different, including asking students – like her daughter – what changes they want.

“She was in the playground. She heard the gunshots and it was scary and confusing,” Marquardt said of her daughter’s experience.

Mayor Harrell added that the city will measure the success of the program by looking at factors such as graduation rates, the number of shots fired and guns recovered, and will seek feedback from students.

The following is a breakdown of the total budget, according to city staff:

$5.6 million regarding the hiring of additional mental health counselor and care coordinator positions at 21 school-based health centers

$2.4 million expanding access to teletherapy services to more than 2,000 students

$4.25 million funding community partners to deliver a wide range of activities

$2.3 million increasing staff capacity and new equipment such as cameras, signs, perimeter fencing and gate upgrades