Spectrum News 1: Anaheim schools turn mental health funding into long-term care for students

BY Genevieve Glass Los Angeles

PUBLISHED 11:40 AM PT Oct. 23, 2025

ANAHEIM, Calif. — When single mom Juanita Saenz and her two sons faced homelessness a couple years ago, she says her eldest Joseph had a tough time adjusting.

“It was a huge struggle for him to endeavor with everything that was going on, as well as school and really communicating or integrate with his classmates or peers,” she said.

What You Need To Know

• Fifty-three percent of public schools report increased demand for mental health services

• The Trump administration cut $1 billion in federal youth mental health grants and staff from the Office of Special Education

• Anaheim Elementary School District has recovered $810,000 through state reimbursements via TadHealth

• The district expects to surpass $1 million in reimbursements soon, setting a model for other California schools

Now housed, the family is rebuilding and for Joseph, everything changed after staff at Loara Elementary in Anaheim recommended counseling. He now meets weekly with a school counselor, support made possible by new state funding.

A recent survey found that 53% of public schools report increased demand for mental health services, but many say funding still falls short. That gap widened after the Trump administration canceled about $1 billion in federal grants for youth mental health and cut staff at the Office of Special Education, which oversees funding for 7.5 million students with disabilities nationwide.

School counselor Shanae Prieto says those cuts have real consequences.

“All of the cuts, all of the changes, especially with our current administration, there’s not the same sense of priority toward mental health,” she said.

Related Stories

• Sacramento program aims to bridge digital divide in underserved communities
• New California law aims to improve school nutrition by phasing out some ultraprocessed foods

The Anaheim Elementary School District recently unlocked more than $810,000 in state reimbursements through a partnership with TadHealth, a school-based electronic health record system that helps providers file claims and get paid for the care they already provide.

“TadHealth coming into the picture has been a really great comfort because it enables our district to count on a secured funding source,” Prieto said.

For Joseph, that funding means he can keep seeing his counselor — care his mom says she couldn’t otherwise afford.

“This program has helped my son not only understand who he is, but also that he has a voice to speak up for himself,” Saenz said.

Anaheim Elementary expects to surpass $1 million in reimbursements in the coming weeks, a model that could help schools statewide sustain mental health care for years to come.

Watch the video on Spectrum News 1 here.