To our Constituents, Community, and Clients
It is with great sadness that we announce the closure of the IU South Bend Community Counseling Clinic. Since 2024, our counseling clinic, which provided free counseling services to community members in need, has been funded by Federal Grant S184X230175. The Indiana University Board of Trustees, and the IU South Bend School of Education (which houses the community counseling clinic) was notified on April 29, 2025, that our multi-year grant is to be rescinded effective December 31, 2025. The above-named grant also provided training for School Psychologists to address a critical shortage in schools around our state. We will continue to offer counseling services to our current clients until the end of calendar year 2025, but are no longer able to accept new clients for services.
In our grant cancellation notice, as signed by Hayley Sanon, Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, it was noted that:
The Department [of Education] has undertaken a review of grants and determined that the grant specified above provides funding for programs that reflect the prior Administration’s priorities and policy preferences and conflict with those of the current Administration, in that the programs: violate the letter or purpose of Federal civil rights law; conflict with the Department’s policy of prioritizing merit, fairness, and excellence in education; undermine the well-being of the students these programs are intended to help; or constitute an inappropriate use of federal funds. The grant is therefore inconsistent with, and no longer effectuates, the best interest of the Federal Government and will not be continued.
In essence, providing much needed mental health and school assessment services is no longer consistent with the values of the current federal government. It should be noted that we did file an appeal to retain the grant that was awarded to us, but that appeal was rejected.
We apologize that we are no longer able to provide this crucial service to the underserved members of our community. We hope to find additional funding opportunities which will allow us to resume operations in the future.