Pass the Mental Health Services for Students Act

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, youth mental health in the United States had reached an unprecedented crisis.[2][3] Between 2016 and 2020, the number of youth and adolescents diagnosed with anxiety or depression grew by 30 percent.[2][4] In a given year, up to one in five children experience a mental health disorder,[5] and nearly half of U.S. adolescents (ages 13-18) had a mental disorder at some point in their lifetime.[6]

The Mental Health Services for Students Act would provide $300 million in grant funding for local educational agencies, tribal schools, and community-based organizations to provide onsite, culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.[1][7][8] The bill would help schools partner with local mental health providers to establish these mental health services and train teachers, administrators, and support personnel to recognize, assist, and refer students who may need mental health support.[1][7][8] Previous versions of the Mental Health Services for Services Act has passed the House in 2021 and 2022 and had broad bipartisan support.