Colorado is rolling in revenue from statewide marijuana legalization. Colorado's state legislature had set aside
$2.5 million for schools to hire health professionals:
School officials already are calling to find out how soon they can apply for the grant. In general, officials estimate the money could fund 35 to 40 new full-time health care professionals.
"We're hoping of course that this will help schools identify and help students that are showing signs of substance abuse and mental health problems," said Sarah Mathew, director of health and wellness at the Colorado Department of Education, "hoping that we are more equipped to handle those kids."
Just this past week:
After taking applications for about a month from school districts looking to hire health workers with funds from marijuana revenue, the state on Wednesday awarded more than $975,000 of grants.
There are kinks to get out—as there are in any tax revenue-based state program. However, this money is going towards health and drug prevention programs, and that has always been one of the hopes for proponents of legalization.
David Rein, director of development at the New America School, said they will use the $169,232 grant to hire three full-time nurses or social workers — one for each campus — to focus on programs to prevent substance abuse.
Counselors at New America surveyed students in September, and results show that 32 percent reported marijuana use of more than 10 times in a month.
"Our student population is over 95 percent at-risk," Rein said. "Given the population, I would say our counselors are overburdened with all these challenges. And if you add on the additional problems of substance abuse, there's a great need for having this kind of additional staff."