The City of Seattle’s Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) has opened applications for its 2026 Youth Mental Health Therapeutic Services grant programme, aimed at improving access to clinical mental health care for young people across Seattle. The initiative is designed to support secondary school students and young adults between the ages of 13 and 24 through expanded therapy services, behavioral health support, and culturally responsive care.
The programme will provide approximately $1 million in funding to organizations that deliver therapeutic mental health services for Seattle youth. Funding will support a wide range of care models, including virtual therapy, in-person counseling, and hybrid services. The initiative places a strong emphasis on reducing barriers to mental health care and expanding support for underserved communities.
DEEL’s youth mental health investments are part of the city’s broader Every Child Ready Initiative and are funded through the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy. Officials stated that the programme aims to improve youth wellbeing, educational outcomes, and long-term career readiness by ensuring easier access to professional mental health services and support systems.
The city identified several groups of young people who continue to face barriers in accessing mental health care, including immigrant and refugee youth, foster youth, LGBTQ+ youth, young people from Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, and youth whose primary language is not English. The funding programme encourages providers with experience serving these communities to apply for grants and expand culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
Seattle’s mental health strategy includes partnerships with community organizations, local healthcare providers, and telehealth platforms to offer both individual and group therapy services. Existing city-supported programmes already provide free or low-cost mental health care for eligible youth through school-based health centers, community providers, and virtual counseling services.
The initiative reflects a growing effort by Seattle officials to address rising mental health concerns among young people. City leaders have expanded investments in youth wellness programmes in recent years, including partnerships with local organizations that specialize in culturally responsive care and trauma-informed support services. Previous funding rounds have supported a variety of in-person and telehealth mental health initiatives throughout Seattle.
Grant recipients selected through the 2026 programme will be expected to coordinate with schools, community organizations, and referral partners to improve access to care and streamline mental health service delivery. Services funded through the programme are scheduled to begin in September 2026 and continue through August 2027.
