Jefferson County Public Schools has confirmed that mental health practitioner positions are being considered for elimination as the district works to close a budget deficit.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – JCPS is attempting to reduce a $142 million budget shortfall by cutting district spending for the 2026–2027 school year, but a proposal in the draft budget has drawn criticism from former teachers and students.
The district confirmed that mental health practitioner positions are among those facing cuts, though officials did not disclose how many jobs could be eliminated.
Former JCPS student Free Cooper said mental health practitioners played a life-changing role during her high school years, helping her learn how to express her emotions and eventually allowing her to start a fashion business in Atlanta after graduating in 2024.
“I see how it affects me when I couldn’t share how I felt about things. It makes you angry inside. It just makes you feel like you have nowhere to go to or you have no safe space,” Cooper said. “Learning how to express those feelings just creates a whole new path for you to be free in who you are.”
Former teacher Mary Wurst said eliminating mental health practitioners is unacceptable.
“This is not an option. When the budget cuts came out, it was supposed to not directly affect students. Mental health practitioners have the most impact on students than you can imagine. I mean, they’re saving lives,” Wurst said.
Cynthia Sullivan, a supplemental school counselor at Valley High School, acknowledged the need to balance the budget but warned about the impact of removing mental health support.
“They’ve got to find the support to balance the budget. That’s critical. But at the same time, the intellectual as well as the social and emotional needs of the child need to come first,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said she fears the consequences if mental health services are removed.
“I’m afraid if those services are taken away, we will start operating in a deficit, and we will start seeing dramatic increases in poor behavior, poor mental wellness, and a rise in possible critical mental health crises,” she said.
Students most at risk are often those facing challenges such as suicide, domestic violence, addiction, homelessness and stress.
Ashlee Armato Derthick, a former mental health practitioner at Butler High School, said many low-income families cannot afford outside care, making school-based mental health practitioners vital.
“How are they going to focus academically if their emotional needs are not being met appropriately?” she said.
Wurst added that the cuts go beyond academics.
“People, you know, will say the schools are for academics,” Wurst said. “This may sound dramatic, but here’s the reality. If they’re dead at 15 from a suicide, it doesn’t matter how good they are at math.”
Wurst said she has emailed every JCPS board member to share her concerns ahead of their meeting on Tuesday, but only one has responded so far.
Cooper said the issue is critical for students who rely on mental health support.
“Without being able to communicate how I feel to anybody, it would be harder for me to not only not run a business, it would be harder for me to become an adult in general,” Cooper said.
JCPS declined an interview for the story. When asked how many positions could be cut, officials said more details would be shared at Tuesday’s board meeting.
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