School Mental Health

Congress should establish federal funding for the Community Schoolyards project through the National Park Service’s (NPS) Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) to renovate asphalt schoolyards into schoolyard parks by providing grants to school districts, city parks, and water departments to fund renovations with oversight from federal agencies.

Federal Title I education funds should not be used to support policies that foster unhealthy school climates such as zero-tolerance policies and school resource officers. Title 1 education funds should instead be used for school with social-emotional learning (SEL) programs, such as the Responsive Classroom from the Center for Responsive Schools, and executive function training programs like the ACTIVATE program in all schools.[1]

The Department of Education (DOE) should build a standardized framework for schools to implement the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework, establish dashboards for data collection and resources libraries on the MTSS framework, establish a certification program that recognizes districts that have implemented MTSS best practices, and establish a permanent position for school-based Medicaid services to support state education agencies in implementation.The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) should also clarify that Tier 1 supports under MTSS include prevention and early intervention services under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit.

The Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) and Department of Education (DOE) should ensure schools are an eligible entity for receiving youth peer support services by issuing clarifying guidance and updating its administrative claiming guide to ensure youth peer support models are a permissible school-based service. CMS and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) should offer learning collaboratives and technical assistance to states on peer support and billing best practices.

Congress should pass the Advancing Student Services in Schools Today (ASSIST) Act, which would increase school-based provider rates and expand the availability of mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) care in schools.

Congress should pass legislation like the Strengthen Kids’ Mental Health Now Act to increase community-based provider rates and expand the capacity and availability of pediatric mental health services.