State schools chief Jack O’Connell announced Friday that he will release $76 million in federal funds to help maintain mental health services for students, despite a recent decision to eliminate a state program supporting those efforts.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger used a line-item veto to slash the funding for the state program earlier this month. It has been administered by county mental health departments since the mid-1980s, providing special education students with services ranging from individual counseling to residential placements. About 600 students with disabilities receive the services in Ventura County.