CPS, Illinois Board of Education get $14M in federal funds

CHICAGO - A big boost for Chicago Public Schools and the Illinois State Board of Education, as $14 million in federal funding has been announced.

The money — which is coming from the bipartisan "Safer Communities Act" — will go toward trauma-informed care and mental health personnel in schools.

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Illinois Senator Dick Durbin unveiled the funding on Friday at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Prep. He spoke about the children who witnessed the recent shooting of Chicago Police Officer Andres Vasquez Lasso, and how the goal is to help children like that.

"Fourteen-million dollars for more counseling for reaching out to students just like those on the playground and others who need to sit down and talk to somebody because it isn't like you're finished forever when you've been through a traumatic experience. There's hope. You can talk your way through these problems and challenges and turn your life around. That's something you should never give up on," Durbin said.

Senator Durbin says the funding is in direct response to how prevalent gun violence is across the country, and how much it can impact the wellness of students.