Over $650,000 in funding is coming to Warren County as part of Pennsylvania’s School Safety & Security Grant Program.

The Warren County School District received a total of $604, 488 — $45,000 for a “meritorious award,” mental health awards of $70,000 for the Warren County Career Center and $152,729 for the WCSD as well as a “competitive award” totaling $406,759.

Tidioute Community Charter School was also awarded a $70,000 “mental health award.”

“The School Safety and Security Grants Program was originally established in 2018 to provide for school entities of the Commonwealth to be safer places for students, staff and visitors,” according to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. “The School Safety and Security Fund was established in the State Treasury to provide ongoing support to schools for safety and security purposes.

According to Sen. Scott Hutchinson, more than $150 million was awarded statewide in the most recent funding round.

“Most recently through Act 33 of 2023, changes were made to strengthen and expand the program,” Hutchinson said in a recent newsletter “which is overseen by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, School Safety and Security Committee.”

“Meritorious Grants ranging from $30,000 to $45,000 were awarded to each of the 497 applicants from all 67 counties that applied,” Hutchinson explained. “The award amount is based on the school size. Funding can be used to address safety and security through security assessments, violence prevention and all-hazards plans.”

The mental health grants were also awarded to each of the 719 applicants, he said.

“These applicants included school districts, area career and technical schools, intermediate units, charter schools, regional charter schools and cyber charter schools,” Hutchinson said. School districts received a base of $100,000 plus a formula amount depending on their school size…. The funding can be used for school mental health services, training and programs for students and staff.”