[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8444 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8444
To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for
Mental Health and Substance Use, to establish grant programs to promote
mental health in schools, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 17, 2024
Mrs. Napolitano (for herself, Ms. Balint, Ms. Norton, Mrs. Watson
Coleman, Mr. Allred, Mr. Connolly, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Soto, Mr.
Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Torres of New York, Ms. Chu, Ms. Salinas, Ms.
Porter, Mr. Gottheimer, Mrs. Ramirez, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Ms.
Stansbury, and Ms. Barragan) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for
Mental Health and Substance Use, to establish grant programs to promote
mental health in schools, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Mental Health in Schools Act''.
SEC. 2. SAMHSA MENTAL HEALTH SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAMS.
Subpart 3 of part B of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 290bb-31 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 520O. MENTAL HEALTH SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAMS.
``(a) School Mental Health Awareness Grant Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary, shall establish a program, to be known as
the School Mental Health Awareness Grant Program, to award
grants to eligible entities to establish or expand eligible
mental health education programs in schools served by local
educational agencies.
``(2) Eligible mental health education programs.--To be
eligible for a grant under this subsection, a mental health
education program shall--
``(A) serve students by--
``(i) promoting the mental health and well-
being of students and destigmatizing mental
health conditions;
``(ii) helping students identify and
recognize the key signs and symptoms of various
mental health conditions;
``(iii) informing students about mental
health services that are available to such
students;
``(iv) providing students with the skills
needed to manage their emotions and establish
and maintain positive relationships;
``(v) using an evidence-based model
effective in changing students' knowledge of
and attitudes toward mental health conditions
and help-seeking behavior; and
``(vi) incorporating family engagement;
``(B) provide educational professionals with the
necessary certification, recertification, and
professional development to teach mental health-related
content; and
``(C) for any courses developed using a grant under
this subsection, develop such courses with input from
mental health professionals.
``(3) Activity requirements.--A grant awarded under this
subsection may only be used for activities that--
``(A) are developmentally, linguistically, and
culturally appropriate;
``(B) are trauma-informed; and
``(C) promote healthy coping mechanisms for
managing stress and other mental health challenges.
``(b) Mental Health Career Promotion Grant Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary, shall establish a program, to be known as
the Mental Health Career Promotion Grant Program, to award
grants to eligible entities to establish or expand eligible
mental health career promotion programs in schools served by
local educational agencies.
``(2) Eligible mental health career promotion programs.--To
be eligible for a grant under this subsection, a mental health
career promotion program shall promote careers in mental health
to students in grades 9 through 12, such as by--
``(A) providing educational presentations to
students that increase exposure to and knowledge of
careers in the mental health field;
``(B) coordinating internships and externships for
students who demonstrate an interest in mental health;
``(C) providing opportunities for students to
interact with and shadow mental health care
professionals;
``(D) providing students with mentorships and
experiential learning opportunities; or
``(E) partnering with local institutions of higher
education and community behavioral health organizations
to promote careers in mental health.
``(3) Activity requirement.--A grant awarded under this
subsection may only be used for activities that are
developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate.
``(4) Careers in mental health defined.--In this
subsection, the term `careers in mental health' means
occupations whose primary intent and function is the direct
treatment or recovery support of patients with, or in recovery
from, a mental health disorder, which may include--
``(A) physicians (including physicians with a
degree of doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic
medicine);
``(B) psychiatric nurses;
``(C) social workers;
``(D) marriage and family therapists;
``(E) mental health counselors;
``(F) occupational therapists;
``(G) psychologists;
``(H) psychiatrists (including child and adolescent
psychiatrists); and
``(I) neurologists.
``(c) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, an entity shall be a partnership that includes--
``(1) a State educational agency;
``(2) 1 or more local educational agencies, or a consortium
of such local educational agencies; and
``(3) at least 1--
``(A) community-based mental health provider (such
as a health care entity, a trauma network, or a
nonprofit mental health professional association); or
``(B) other community-based entity, as determined
appropriate by the Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary (such as a human services agency, a
child welfare agency, or an institution of higher
education).
``(d) Award Duration; Renewal.--A grant awarded under this section
shall be for a period of 5 years, and may be renewed.
``(e) Geographical Diversity.--The Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary, shall ensure that grants awarded under this
section cover a diverse range of geographical areas.
``(f) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary, may provide technical assistance to high-need
local educational agencies in seeking grants under this section.
``(g) Evaluation and Measures of Outcomes.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary, shall develop a fiscally appropriate
process for evaluating activities carried out through grants
awarded under this section. Under such process, the Secretary,
acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall--
``(A) provide to recipients of such grants--
``(i) guidelines for the submission to the
Assistant Secretary of data concerning such
activities; and
``(ii) measures of outcomes to be used by
such recipients in evaluating the effectiveness
of such activities (including outcomes related
to the student, family, and local educational
systems supported by such activities);
``(B) require each such recipient to submit to the
Assistant Secretary annual reports--
``(i) containing data on such activities
carried out by the recipient; and
``(ii) that use the measures of outcomes
described in subparagraph (A)(ii) to evaluate
the effectiveness of such activities; and
``(C) not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Mental Health in Schools Act, and
annually thereafter, submit to Congress a report
describing the results and effectiveness of the
programs under this section.
``(2) Limitation.--A recipient of a grant under this
section may not use more than 10 percent of the amounts
received to prepare and submit the annual reports required
under paragraph (1)(B).
``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) ESEA terms.--The terms `local educational agency' and
`State educational agency' have the meanings given such terms
in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965.
``(2) HEA terms.--The terms `high-need local educational
agency' and `institution of higher education' have the meanings
given such terms, respectively, in sections 200 and 101(a) of
the Higher Education Act of 1965.
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2025
through 2029--
``(1) $50,000,000 with respect to grants awarded under
subsection (a); and
``(2) $50,000,000 with respect to grants awarded under
subsection (b).''.
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