New Federal Program Funds Regional Safety Centers to Help Rural Schools Build Custom Safety and Mental Health Plans

The Preparing Leaders to Assess Needs for School Safety Act of 2025, or the PLAN Act, sets up a new federal grant program to tackle school safety and student mental health head-on. Starting in Fiscal Year 2026 and authorized for $25 million annually through 2030, this program will fund regional School Safety Development Centers. Think of these centers as specialized consultants whose entire job is to help local schools—especially those in rural, Tribal, or low-resource areas—figure out and implement custom, research-backed safety and mental health plans.

Your New School Safety Consultants Are On the Way

This isn't about one-size-fits-all mandates. The core function of the new centers is to provide one-on-one consultations. If your kid's school needs help, the center will look closely at their current rules, climate, and community needs, then help them develop a tailored safety plan. This plan covers everything from managing school climate and setting up reporting systems to threat assessment and emergency drills. Critically, the bill requires the centers to focus on both physical security and student mental health, including suicide prevention. For schools that already have a plan, the centers will help them find state or federal funding to pay for it and provide the necessary training for staff and families to put it into action.

Who Gets the Money and Who Pays?

The federal money is managed by the Director of Homeland Security, who will award grants to qualified groups—like state agencies or colleges—that can prove they have expertise in school safety and mental health. The law specifically prioritizes groups that work with schools in rural areas, on Tribal lands, or those serving minority students. This is a big deal for smaller districts that often lack the budget or staff to hire specialized safety consultants. However, there’s a catch for the grantees: the federal government will only cover up to 95 percent of the total cost, meaning the organizations running these centers must secure at least 5 percent of the funding themselves, which could be a hurdle for some non-profits or smaller colleges applying for the grants.

Strict Rules on Spending

To keep the focus squarely on planning and mental health, the PLAN Act includes two very specific restrictions on how the $25 million can be used. First, none of the funds can be used to consult or train any school or person on the use of firearms. Second, the money cannot be used to hire school personnel or contractors for the schools that the development centers are advising. This means the money is strictly for expert consultation, planning, and training staff on procedures, not for buying equipment or paying for new resource officers or counselors.

Getting the Right Voices in the Room

The Director must establish a Youth Advisory Council within one year of the law taking effect. This isn't just a feel-good measure; this council, which must include parents, experts, and crucially, youth who have experienced school violence, will provide joint advice on how the entire program is run. This ensures that the program’s guidance isn't purely theoretical but grounded in the real-world experiences of those most affected by school violence. This input, along with expertise from a loaned employee from the Department of Education, will guide the training given to the regional centers, making sure their advice is both evidence-based and practical.