BroadwayWorld reported that the Flint School of Performing Arts has been awarded a $189,000 grant from the City of Flint, sourced from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, to expand music‑therapy services for students throughout Genesee County and nearby areas.
The grant will support a program that, between September 2025 and April 2026, served 1,401 K‑12 students, helping them improve communication, emotional regulation and social skills through music‑based interventions. The expansion will also deepen collaborations with local elementary schools, including Dowdall, Hamady and McMonagle.
Janelle Ballard, chair of the school’s music‑therapy department, said the funding marks a key step toward making music therapy a permanent component of student support services, with the aim of delivering consistent, measurable progress and fostering connection, confidence and success. School counselor Holli Taylor noted that the partnership has created a safe environment where students show better emotional regulation, focus and enthusiasm, providing reliable mental‑health support for families facing financial or time constraints.
Music therapy uses musical activities to meet non‑musical goals such as language development, attention, memory and social interaction, offering particular benefits for students with communication, attention or behavioral challenges, including those who are nonverbal.
For more information, visit broadwayworld.com.