Mental Health Services for Students

Summary#

This bill adds a new federal program to fund school-based mental health services for children and adolescents. The program would give grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible partnerships to help schools (including Bureau of Indian Education schools) address trauma, grief, suicide risk, and violence. Services must be developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate, trauma-informed, and include positive behavioral supports.

What it means for you#

• Schools and local education agencies can form partnerships with community mental health providers, health care entities, family-based mental health groups, and other local organizations to apply for funding.
• Funded programs can include staff training, screening for trauma and suicide risk, family engagement, student treatment, and community partnerships with law enforcement, child welfare, and health providers.
• Recipients must follow HIPAA rules for patient records and FERPA rules for student education records. Programs must report data and annual results to the federal government.

Expenses#

• Individual grants would be no more than $2,000,000 each for each of the first 5 fiscal years after enactment. The Secretary will set each grant amount based on the child population served.
• The bill authorizes $300,000,000 to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028.
• Each award provides payments over a 5-year period, with options to renew. Recipients may use up to 20 percent of grant funds for evaluation activities.

Proponents' View#

The bill’s text states its purpose is to provide access to comprehensive school-based mental health programs and supports. It directs funding and technical assistance to build trauma-aware programs, train staff, engage families, and create community partnerships to help prevent and address mental health disorders and the effects of trauma on children and adolescents.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.