[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8981 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8981
To amend the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act to improve trauma
support services and mental health care for children and youth in
educational settings, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 10, 2024
Mrs. Hayes (for herself, Ms. Brown, Ms. Norton, Mrs. Dingell, Mr.
Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Moulton, Mrs. Watson
Coleman, Ms. Salinas, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Williams of
Georgia, and Mrs. Ramirez) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act to improve trauma
support services and mental health care for children and youth in
educational settings, 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 ``Supporting Trauma-Informed Education
Practices Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE SUPPORT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT.
Section 7134 of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (42
U.S.C. 280h-7) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 7134. GRANTS TO IMPROVE TRAUMA SUPPORT SERVICES AND MENTAL
HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN EDUCATIONAL
SETTINGS.
``(a) Authorization of Grants.--
``(1) Grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements
authorized.--The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary
of Health and Human Services, is authorized to award grants to,
or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, an
eligible entity for the purpose of increasing student, teacher,
school leader, and other school personnel access to evidence-
based trauma support services and mental health services by
developing innovative initiatives, activities, or programs to
connect schools and local educational agencies, or tribal
educational agencies, as applicable, with community trauma-
informed support and mental health systems, including such
systems under the Indian Health Service.
``(2) Reservations.--From the total amount appropriated
under subsection (l) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall
reserve--
``(A) not more than 3 percent to conduct the
evaluation under subsection (f); and
``(B) not more than 2 percent for technical
assistance and administration.
``(b) Duration.--With respect to a grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement awarded or entered into under this section, the period during
which payments under such grant, contract or agreement are made to the
recipient may not exceed 5 years.
``(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives or enters
into a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section
shall use amounts made available through such grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement for evidence-based initiatives, activities, or
programs, which shall include at least 1 of the following:
``(1) Enhancing, improving, or developing collaborative
efforts between schools, local educational agencies or tribal
educational agencies, as applicable, and community mental
health and trauma-informed service delivery systems to provide,
develop, or improve prevention, referral, treatment, and
support services to students.
``(2) Implementing trauma-informed models of support,
including positive behavioral interventions and supports in
schools served by the eligible entity.
``(3) Providing professional development to teachers,
paraprofessionals, school leaders, school-based mental health
services providers, and other specialized instructional support
personnel employed by local educational agencies or tribal
educational agencies, as applicable or schools served by the
eligible entity that--
``(A) fosters safe and stable learning environments
that prevent and mitigate the effects of trauma,
including through social and emotional learning;
``(B) improves school capacity to identify, refer,
and provide services to students in need of trauma-
informed support or mental health services, including
by helping educators to identify the unique personal
and contextual variables that influence the
manifestation of trauma; and
``(C) reflects the best practices for trauma-
informed identification, referral, and support
developed by the Interagency Task Force on Trauma-
Informed Care (as established by section 7132).
``(4) Providing trauma-informed support services and mental
health services to students at full-service community schools
served by the eligible entity.
``(5) Engaging families and communities to increase
awareness of child and youth trauma, which may include sharing
best practices with law enforcement regarding trauma-informed
services and working with mental health professionals to
provide interventions and longer term coordinated care within
the community for children and youth who have experienced
trauma and the families of such children and youth.
``(6) Evaluating the effectiveness of the initiatives,
activities, or programs carried out under this section in
increasing student access to evidence-based trauma support
services and mental health services.
``(7) Establishing partnerships with or providing subgrants
to early childhood education programs or other eligible
entities, to include such entities in the evidence-based
trauma-informed or mental health initiatives, activities, and
support services established under this section in order to
provide, develop, or improve prevention, referral, treatment,
and support services to children and their families.
``(8) Establishing new, or enhancing existing, evidence-
based educational, awareness, and prevention programs to
improve mental health and resiliency among teachers,
paraprofessionals, school leaders, school-based mental health
services providers, and other specialized instructional support
personnel employed by local educational agencies or tribal
educational agencies, as applicable, or schools served by the
eligible entity.
``(d) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant, contract,
or cooperative agreement under this section, an eligible entity shall
submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner,
and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably
require, which shall include the following:
``(1) A description of the innovative initiatives,
activities, or programs to be funded under the grant, contract,
or cooperative agreement, including how such initiatives,
activities, or programs will increase access to evidence-based
trauma-informed support services and mental health services for
students, and, as applicable, the families of such students.
``(2) A description of how the initiatives, activities, or
programs will provide linguistically appropriate and culturally
competent services.
``(3) A description of how the initiatives, activities, or
programs will support schools served by the eligible entity in
improving school climate in order to support an environment
conducive to learning.
``(4) An assurance that--
``(A) persons providing services under the
initiative, activity, or program funded by the grant,
contract, or cooperative agreement are fully licensed
or certified to provide such services;
``(B) teachers, school leaders, administrators,
school-based mental health services providers and other
specialized instructional support personnel,
representatives of local Indian Tribes or tribal
organizations as appropriate, other school personnel,
individuals who have experience receiving mental health
services as children, and parents of students
participating in services under this section will be
engaged and involved in the design and implementation
of the services; and
``(C) the eligible entity will comply with the
evaluation required under subsection (f).
``(5) A description of how the eligible entity will support
and integrate existing school-based services at schools served
by the eligible entity with the initiatives, activities, or
programs funded under this section in order to provide trauma-
informed support services or mental health services for
students, as appropriate.
``(6) A description of how the eligible entity will
incorporate peer support services into the initiatives,
activities, or programs to be funded under this section.
``(7) A description of how the eligible entity will ensure
that initiatives, activities, or programs funded under this
section are accessible to and include students with
disabilities.
``(8) An assurance that the eligible entity will establish
a local interagency agreement under subsection (e) and comply
with such agreement.
``(e) Interagency Agreements.--
``(1) Local interagency agreements.--In carrying out an
evidence-based initiative, activity, or program described in
subsection (c), an eligible entity that receives a grant,
contract, or cooperative agreement under this section, or a
designee of such entity, shall establish an interagency
agreement between local educational agencies, agencies
responsible for early childhood education programs, Head Start
agencies (including Early Head Start agencies), juvenile
justice authorities, mental health agencies, child welfare
agencies, and other relevant agencies, authorities, or entities
in the community that will be involved in the provision of
services under such initiative, activity, or program.
``(2) Contents.--The local interagency agreement required
under paragraph (1) shall specify, with respect to each agency,
authority, or entity that is a party to such agreement--
``(A) the financial responsibility for any services
provided by such entity;
``(B) the conditions and terms of responsibility
for such any services, including quality,
accountability, and coordination of the services; and
``(C) the conditions and terms of reimbursement of
such agencies, authorities, or entities, including
procedures for dispute resolution.
``(f) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall conduct a rigorous and
independent evaluation of the initiatives, activities, and programs
carried out by an eligible entity under this section and disseminate
evidence-based practices regarding trauma-informed support services and
mental health services.
``(g) Distribution of Awards.--The Secretary shall ensure that
grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements awarded or entered into
under this section are equitably distributed among the geographical
regions of the United States and among tribal, urban, suburban, and
rural populations.
``(h) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed--
``(1) to prohibit an entity involved with an initiative,
activity, or program carried out under this section from
reporting a crime that is committed by a student to appropriate
authorities; or
``(2) to prevent Federal, State, local, and tribal law
enforcement and judicial authorities from exercising their
responsibilities with regard to the application of Federal,
State, local, and tribal law to crimes committed by a student.
``(i) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Federal funds provided under this
section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal,
State, or local funds available to carry out the initiatives,
activities, and programs described in this section.
``(j) Consultation Required.--In awarding or entering into grants,
contracts, and cooperative agreements under this section, the Secretary
shall, in a timely manner, meaningfully consult with Indian Tribes,
Regional Corporations, Native Hawaiian Educational Organizations, and
their representatives to ensure notice of eligibility.
``(k) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Early childhood education program.--The term `early
childhood education program' has the meaning given such term in
section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1003).
``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
``(A) a State educational agency;
``(B) a local educational agency;
``(C) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance
Act) or their tribal educational agency;
``(D) the Bureau of Indian Education;
``(E) a Regional Corporation;
``(F) a Native Hawaiian educational organization;
and
``(G) State, Territory, and Tribal Lead Agencies
administering the Child Care and Development Fund as
described in section 658D(a) of the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9858b(a)).
``(3) ESEA terms.--
``(A) The terms `elementary school', `evidence-
based', `local educational agency', `paraprofessional',
`parent', `professional development', `school leader',
`secondary school', `Secretary', `specialized
instructional support personnel', and `State
educational agency' have the meanings given such terms
in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
``(B) The term `full-service community school' has
the meaning given such term in section 4622 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 7272).
``(C) The term `Native Hawaiian educational
organization' has the meaning given such term in
section 6207 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517).
``(D) The term `school-based mental health services
provider' has the meaning given the term in section
4102 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7112).
``(4) Regional corporation.--The term `Regional
Corporation' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602).
``(5) School.--The term `school' means a public elementary
school or public secondary school.
``(l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section, $50,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2025 through 2029.''.
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