[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1803 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1803
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a
grant program to promote comprehensive mental health and suicide
prevention efforts in high schools, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 11, 2021
Mr. Cardenas (for himself and Mrs. Trahan) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and
in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a
grant program to promote comprehensive mental health and suicide
prevention efforts in high 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 ``Youth Mental Health and Suicide
Prevention Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. COORDINATED PROMOTION OF HIGH SCHOOL COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL
HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION PLANS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the
Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration, may carry out a program to award
grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to enhance
services for high school students with mental health and behavioral
health issues that can lead to school failure, including depression,
substance abuse, and suicide attempts.
(b) Application.--To be eligible for a grant under this section, an
eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application in such
form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary
determines appropriate, including, at a minimum--
(1) a description of identified mental health and
behavioral health needs of high school students served by such
eligible entity;
(2) a description of existing Federal, State, local,
private, and institutional resources available to address the
needs described in paragraph (1);
(3) a description of the outreach strategies of such
eligible entity to promote access to services, including a
proposed plan for mental health equity and assisting students
most in need of mental health services;
(4) a description of how such eligible entity will involve,
as appropriate, students and peer representatives in the
planning, implementation, and evaluation processes;
(5) a description of how such eligible entity will support
other students and the school community if a student dies by
suicide;
(6) a plan to--
(A) implement the activities described in
subsection (c); and
(B) evaluate the outcomes of such activities; and
(7) an assurance that such eligible entity will submit to
the Secretary, for each fiscal year in which grant funds are
used, a report with respect to--
(A) the activities carried out under subsection
(c); and
(B) the outcomes of such activities.
(c) Grant Uses.--A grant awarded under this section may only be
used, with respect to high school students served by an eligible
entity, for--
(1) evaluating existing program activities and prevention
strategies;
(2) educational seminars;
(3) educational awareness campaign materials for students,
families of students, and school staff to increase the
awareness of potential mental and behavioral health issues of
students;
(4) peer-to-peer program support;
(5) programs that assist schools in adopting a public
health approach to mental health;
(6) social media applications used for mental and
behavioral health purposes, such as suicide risk and mental
health screenings;
(7) providing mental health services for students through
telehealth;
(8) training programs for students and high school
teachers, school leaders, and other school personnel to learn
to respond effectively to students with mental health and
behavioral health issues that can lead to school failure,
including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide
attempts; and
(9) the creation of an infrastructure to facilitate
communication between high schools served by a local
educational agency or State educational agency that does not
have mental health services, including health care providers
who can treat mental health and behavioral health issues.
(d) Matching Requirement.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under
this section shall provide non-Federal matching funds
(including funds from donations from public or private
entities) equal to the amount of the grant.
(2) Determination of amount contributed.--
(A) In-kind support.--Non-Federal matching funds
described in paragraph (1) may include cash or in-kind
support.
(B) Federal support.--Amounts provided by the
Federal Government, or services assisted or subsidized
to any significant extent by the Federal Government may
not be included when determining the amount of non-
Federal matching funds provided.
(3) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive the matching funds
requirement of paragraph (1) with respect to a grant made to an
eligible entity under this section if the Secretary determines
that such eligible entity has demonstrated extraordinary need
for such a waiver.
(e) Study and Report.--
(1) Study.--For each fiscal year during which grants are
awarded under this section, the Secretary shall conduct a study
on the results of the grant program.
(2) Report.--For each study conducted under paragraph (1),
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the results
of such study, including--
(A) an evaluation of the outcomes of the grant
program, including a summary of activities carried out
by eligible entities and the results of such
activities; and
(B) recommendations with respect to improving
access to mental health and behavioral heath services
at high schools, including efforts to reduce the
occurrence of suicide and substance abuse.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a
local educational agency or State educational agency that
serves at least one secondary school.
(2) ESEA terms.--The terms ``high school'', ``local
educational agency'', ``secondary school'', 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).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the
Secretary of Education and the heads of other appropriate
agencies.
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