HARRISBURG — The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania observes Mental Health Awareness Month every May and, in recognition, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) encourages postsecondary students to complete internships in school-based mental health fields in Pennsylvania, obtain their certification, and commence employment at a Pennsylvania Local Education Agency (LEA).

The Pennsylvania Mental Health Education Learning Program in Schools (PA HELPS), which was authorized under Act 55 of 2022 as the School-based Mental Health Internship Grant Program, is administered by PHEAA. PA HELPS provides funding to support school-based mental health professionals who must complete an internship before receiving their credentials.

“PA HELPS is filling an important need in the commonwealth,” said Sen. Wayne Fontana, chairman of the PHEAA Board of Directors. “We have a critical need for mental health specialists in our schools. PA HELPS was created to encourage students to pursue a career in this field.”

To be eligible for PA HELPS, an intern must be a Pennsylvania resident enrolled in an educational specialist preparation program approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) that leads to an education specialist certification as a school nurse, school psychologist, school counselor or school social worker. Recipients must be accepted to an internship at a Local Education Agency (LEA) in Pennsylvania and must commit to working at an LEA in Pennsylvania for a minimum of 3 years following completion of their educational specialist degree. The program application deadline for LEAs is Dec. 31. The 2025-26 LEA application is available at pheaa.org/pahelps.

“Continued funding for the PA HELPS Program amply demonstrates how important the need is for more mental health specialists in our schools,” said James Steeley, PHEAA president and CEO. “We’re pleased to administer this program for the commonwealth. It provides the financial support that these students need to earn their degree in the mental health field. Their path to becoming fully licensed include internship hours, which are often unpaid. Those internships must be at a LEA. We hope that more LEAs will apply before the Dec. 31 deadline.”