The Colorado Department of Education received a $1.6 million annual grant for mental health services in schools, Colorado Commissioner of Education Susana Crdova announced Thursday."This grant is an important resource for our states school districts to help them expand access to the services our students need to thrive," Crdova said.The goal is for this money to help Colorado reduce its critical shortage of mental health professionals in schools and better support children and teens across the state struggling with their mental health. The money will give Colorado schools the necessary funding to hire more counselors and mental health professionals, in addition to retain existing ones. It would also help mental health professionals to switch careers to work in schools. This grant includes funding for training graduate-level mental health professionals as well. It's a five-year award, so the money will last through 2029. For anyone interested in more information on the grant, e-mail [email protected].