[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1895 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1895
To establish the Mental Health Excellence in Schools Program to
increase the recruitment and retention of school-based mental health
services providers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 22, 2025
Mr. Young (for himself, Mrs. Shaheen, and Mr. Cramer) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Mental Health Excellence in Schools Program to
increase the recruitment and retention of school-based mental health
services providers, 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 Excellence in Schools
Act''.
SEC. 2. PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH PUBLIC-PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS TO INCREASE
THE AVAILABLE WORKFORCE OF SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICE PROVIDERS.
(a) Program Authorized.--The Secretary shall carry out a program
under which eligible graduate institutions may enter into an agreement
with the Secretary to cover a portion of the cost of attendance of a
participating student, which contributions shall be matched by
equivalent contributions towards such cost of attendance by the
Secretary.
(b) Designation of Program.--The program under this section shall
be known as the ``Mental Health Excellence in Schools Program''.
(c) Agreements.--The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with
each eligible graduate institution seeking to participate in the
program under this section. Each agreement shall specify the following:
(1) The manner (whether by direct grant, scholarship, or
otherwise) in which the eligible graduate institution will
contribute to the cost of attendance of a participating
student.
(2) The maximum amount of the contribution to be made by
the eligible graduate institution with respect to any
particular participating student in any given academic year.
(3) The maximum number of individuals for whom the eligible
graduate institution will make contributions in any given
academic year.
(4) That the eligible graduate institution, in selecting
participating students to receive assistance under the program,
shall prioritize the participating students described in
subsection (d)(2).
(5) Such other matters as the Secretary and the eligible
graduate institution determine appropriate.
(d) Outreach.--The Secretary shall--
(1) make publicly available and periodically update on the
internet website of the Department of Education a list of the
eligible graduate institutions participating in the program
under this section that shall specify, for each such eligible
graduate institution, appropriate information on the agreement
between the Secretary and such eligible graduate institution
under subsection (c); and
(2) conduct outreach about the program under this section
to participating students who, as undergraduates--
(A) received a Federal Pell Grant under section 401
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a);
or
(B) attended an institution listed in section
371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1067q(a)).
(e) Matching Contributions.--The Secretary may provide a
contribution of up to 50 percent of the cost of attendance of a
participating student if the eligible graduate institution at which
such student is enrolled enters into an agreement under subsection (c)
with the Secretary to match such contribution.
(f) Monitoring and Evaluation.--As a condition of participation in
the program under this section, each eligible graduate institution
shall agree to submit an annual report to the Secretary describing--
(1) the number of students served by the program;
(2) the percentage of tuition cost covered by the program;
(3) the number of participating students who were also
recipients of a Federal Pell Grant; and
(4) as applicable, the graduation rates and post-graduate
employment of participating students.
(g) Interim Report.--Not later than 2 years after the first
contributions are provided under this section, the Secretary shall
submit an interim report to Congress based on the annual reports
required by subsection (f).
(h) Independent National Evaluation.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide for the
commencement of an independent national evaluation of the
outcomes and effectiveness of the program under this section.
(2) Report to congress.--Not later than 90 days after
receiving the results of such independent national evaluation,
the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress containing the
findings of the evaluation and the Secretary's recommendations
for improvements to the program.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act--
(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;
(2) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; and
(3) $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2028 through
2030.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Cost of attendance.--The term ``cost of attendance''
has the meaning given the term in section 472 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll).
(2) Eligible graduate institution.--The term ``eligible
graduate institution'' means an institution of higher education
that offers a program of study that leads to a graduate
degree--
(A) in school psychology that is accredited or
approved by the National Association of School
Psychologists' Program Accreditation Board or the
Commission on Accreditation of the American
Psychological Association and that prepares students in
such program for the State licensing or certification
examination in school psychology at the specialist
level;
(B) in an accredited school counseling program that
prepares students in such program for the State
licensing or certification examination in school
counseling;
(C) in school social work that is accredited by the
Council on Social Work Education and that prepares
students in such program for the State licensing or
certification examination in school social work;
(D) in another school-based mental health field
that prepares students in such program for the State
licensing or certification examination in such field,
if applicable; or
(E) in any combination of study described in
subparagraphs (A) through (D).
(3) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(4) Participating student.--The term ``participating
student'' means an individual who is enrolled in a graduate
degree program in a school-based mental health field at a
participating eligible graduate institution.
(5) School-based mental health field.--The term ``school-
based mental health field'' means each of the following fields:
(A) School counseling.
(B) School social work.
(C) School psychology.
(D) Any other field of study that leads to
employment as a school-based mental health services
provider, as determined by the Secretary.
(6) School-based mental health services provider.--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).
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
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