OCPS Cuts $8M in Mental Health Services Amid Enrollment Drop

Orange County Public Schools announced plans to cut more than $8 million from mental health services, eliminating all SAFE (Student Assistance and Family Empowerment) coordinator positions as part of adjustments for declining enrollment. The district, facing reduced revenue, detailed the changes in a letter to union leaders this week and a statement to media outlets. SAFE coordinators, a program started in the 1980s by Marge Labarge, have supported students with mental health issues, family crises, substance abuse and food insecurity at schools across Orange County. Additional reductions include 12 social workers, 15 mental health counselors and 6 psychologists, according to the letter to union representatives. Remaining social workers and psychologists will cover two to three schools each, while mental health counselors may serve up to eight schools. OCPS stated that students will now receive 'direct counseling services from certified school counselors and social workers — improving access to care and strengthening student-to-certified staff ratios.' The changes come after the district closed seven schools last month due to similar enrollment trends, as noted in a May 1 Orlando Business Journal report, with a broader $11 million shortfall looming. Union leaders and advocates warn the cuts will limit access to critical support amid rising student needs. 'We are in a crisis,' one report quoted educators saying, highlighting SAFE's role in violence prevention and crisis intervention. OCPS Superintendent Maria Vasquez maintained in district communications that responsibilities will be absorbed by remaining staff to ensure sustainability. The moves align with state trends under Gov. Ron DeSantis' signed HB 1461, which ties school funding to performance metrics, pressuring districts like OCPS to reallocate resources. Florida's $120 billion budget includes education reforms but no direct relief for enrollment-driven shortfalls, even as unemployment hits 2.8% statewide. Parents at schools like those near Lake Eola Park and along Colonial Drive are urged to contact the OCPS budget page at ocps.net/budget or attend upcoming school board meetings at the OCPS Administrative Center, 445 W. Amelia St., for updates. Details are drawn from OCPS' official statement, the union letter and district budget transparency links via Transparency Florida.