LifeBridge Receives Grant To Expand Mental Health Services In Bridgeport Schools

BRIDGEPORT, CT — LifeBridge Community Services has received a $150,000 grant from The Cigna Group Foundation to expand school-based mental health services for young people in Bridgeport.

LifeBridge is one of 22 nonprofit organizations in 10 states receiving funding through The Cigna Group Foundation's 2026 Improving Youth Mental Health grant program. The funding is part of the foundation's three-year, $9 million commitment to organizations serving young people, families, caregivers and youth-serving professionals.

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The one-year grant will support LifeBridge's Bridgeport Youth Mental Health Access Initiative and its partnership with Bridgeport Public Schools. The district is expanding its Plus Program from Warren Harding High School to Bassick and Central high schools.

About 150 students are expected to have access to school-based mental health services through the initiative during the 2026-27 grant year.

"We are incredibly grateful to The Cigna Group Foundation for investing in the mental health and future of Bridgeport's young people," said Edith Boyle, president and CEO of LifeBridge Community Services. "Students bring much more into the classroom than their academic needs. Experiences outside of school can affect a young person's well-being, attendance, ability to focus, and engagement in learning. By integrating mental health care into the educational setting, the Plus Program gives students another layer of support while building on their strengths and helping them continue their path toward graduation."

The Plus Program combines academics, mental health care and trauma-informed support for students in an alternative education setting.

The model was piloted at Warren Harding High School this past spring as Harding Plus. Bridgeport Public Schools developed the program with LifeBridge, one of the district's mental health partners. LifeBridge helped design the program and provides its clinical component, giving students access to mental health care while they earn credits and work toward graduation.

"Harding Plus was created around a simple idea: when we understand and respond to the challenges students are facing, we give them a stronger opportunity to succeed," said Dr. Royce Avery, interim superintendent of Bridgeport Public Schools. "Our partnership with LifeBridge allows us to bring academic and mental health support together in one setting. The early results at Harding show what is possible when students have the right support around them, and we are excited to bring this approach to Bassick and Central."

According to LifeBridge, about one in three Bridgeport students is chronically absent from school, and Bridgeport is designated as a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area. LifeBridge also said 44 percent of young people served through its broader youth mental health programs during the past year met the clinical threshold for significant trauma-related symptoms.

During the past school year, 108 students reconnected with school and support services through Harding Plus, according to LifeBridge. Of those students, 55 percent participated in weekly on-site mental health counseling.

LifeBridge said more than half of participating seniors who had previously been off track for graduation are expected to graduate. Among students receiving specialized learning support, 82 percent improved their attendance.

Bridgeport Public Schools is expanding the model to Bassick Plus and Central Plus. The Cigna Group Foundation grant will allow LifeBridge to provide mental health services across all three programs.

Licensed LifeBridge clinicians will provide on-site therapy, crisis support and care coordination. They will also work with students, families, school staff and community providers and connect families with additional resources when needed.

"Supporting youth mental health requires a collective effort, and strong community partners play a vital role," said Sara Quist, president of The Cigna Group Foundation. "Organizations like LifeBridge Community Services are helping young people and families access trusted support, build meaningful connections, and develop the tools they need to thrive."

The expanded partnership is intended to give Bridgeport students access to mental health services at school while they continue working toward graduation.