[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3628 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3628
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a
grant program to promote comprehensive mental health and suicide
prevention efforts in schools, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 10, 2022
Ms. Rosen (for herself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
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 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''.
SEC. 2. COORDINATED PROMOTION OF 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 school-age youth with mental health and behavioral health
issues that can lead to low academic proficiency, low rates of school
attendance and graduation, and other negative outcomes, 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 school-age youth served by such
eligible entity;
(2) a description of revenue from Federal, State, local,
private, and institutional sources the eligible entity has
available to address the needs described in paragraph (1);
(3) a description of the eligible entity's proposed plan
for using the grant funds to increase access to evidence-based
mental and behavioral health services;
(4) a description of the eligible entity's proposed plan
for improving mental health equity and assisting school-age
youth most in need of mental health services;
(5) a description of how such eligible entity will involve,
as appropriate, school-age youth and peer representatives in
the planning, implementation, and evaluation processes related
to the use of grant funds and for purposes of achieving mental
health equity;
(6) a description of how such eligible entity will support
other school-age youth and the school community if a school-age
youth attempts suicide or dies by suicide;
(7) a plan to--
(A) implement the activities described in
subsection (c); and
(B) evaluate the outcomes of such activities; and
(8) 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, reported in
accordance with the requirements of section 444 of the
General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g;
commonly known as the ``Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act of 1974'').
(c) Allowable Uses of Grant Funds.--A grant awarded under this
section may be used by an eligible entity for--
(1) evaluating existing program activities and prevention
strategies;
(2) educational seminars;
(3) educational awareness campaign materials for school-age
youth, families of school-age youth, and school staff to
increase the awareness of potential mental and behavioral
health issues of school-age youth;
(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 school-age youth
through telehealth;
(8) training programs for school-age youth and teachers,
school leaders, and other school personnel to learn to respond
effectively to school-age youth with mental health and
behavioral health issues that can lead to low academic
proficiency, low rates of school attendance and graduation, and
other negative outcomes, including depression, substance abuse,
and suicide attempts; and
(9) providing culturally specific mental health and
substance use education and prevention programs for school-age
youth.
(d) Geographical Representation.--In awarding grants under this
section, the Secretary shall ensure that grant funds are distributed
with the greatest possible geographical representation, including to
State and local educational agencies that serve rural areas.
(e) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide technical
assistance to grantees in carrying out this section.
(f) 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 schools, including efforts to reduce the occurrence
of suicide and substance abuse.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a local educational agency;
(B) a State educational agency; or
(C) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization.
(2) 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 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(3) Indian tribe; tribal organization.--The terms ``Indian
Tribe'' and ``Tribal organization'' have the meanings given the
terms ``Indian tribe'' and ``tribal organization'',
respectively, in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(4) School-age youth.--The term ``school-age youth''
means--
(A) individuals between the ages of 5 and 17,
inclusive; and
(B) children with disabilities, as defined in
section 602(3) of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1401(3)), who receive services
under part B of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1411 et seq.).
(5) 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.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated
such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
(2) Set-aside.--Of the amount appropriated to carry out
this section for a fiscal year, 10 percent shall be reserved
for grants to eligible entities that serve Indian Tribes or
Tribal organizations.
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