! 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Third Regular Session 
1 
9 J2L 15 ?: :3-/ 
I 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is the policy of the State to protect and promote right to health of the people and 
instill health consciousness among them (The Constitution, Article 2, section 15). 
Hence, this bill seeks to authorize the Chair of the Commission on Higher 
Education to award competitive grants to eligible entities to improve mental and 
behavioral health services and outreach on college and university campuses. It further 
aims to increase access to, and reduce the stigma associated with, mental health services 
so as lo ensure that college students have the support necessary to successfilly complete 
their studies. 
The bill also directs the Secretary of Health to establish a College Campus Task 
Force, under the National Center for Mental Health, to discuss mental and behavioral 
health concerns on college and university campuses. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
Third Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
1 
9 JDL 15 PI :37 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
t 
AN ACT 
IMPROVING THE MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ON 
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives ofthe Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Mental Health on 
Campus Improvement Act of 2009”. 
SECTION 2. Grants to Improve Mental and Behavioral Health on College 
Campuses. - 
(A) Purpose. - The purposes of this Section, with respect to college and 
university settings, are to: 
(1) Increase access to mental and behavioral health services; 
(2) Foster and improve the prevention of mental and behavioral health disorders, 
and the promotion of mental health; 
(3) Improve the identification and treatment for students at risk; 
(4) Improve collaboration and the development of appropriate levels of mental 
and behavioral health care; 
(5) Reduce the stigma for students with mental health disorders and enhance their 
access to mental health services; and 
(6) Improve the efficacy of outreach efforts. 
(B) Grants. - The Chair of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall 
award competitive grants to eligible entities to improve mental and behavioral health 
services and outreach on college and university campuses 
(C) Eligibility. -To be eligible to receive a grant, an entity shall: 
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(1) Be an institution of higher education; and 
(2) Submit to the Chair an application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Chair may require, including the 
information required under paragraph (D). 
(D) Application. -An application for a grant under this Section shall include: 
(1) A description of the population to be targeted by the program carried out 
under the grant, the particular mental and behavioral health needs of the 
students involved, and the private and public institutional resources available 
for meeting the needs of such students at the time the application is submitted; 
(2) An outline of the objectives of the program carried out under the grant; 
(3) A description of activities, services, and training to be provided under the 
program, including planned outreach strategies to reach students not currently 
seeking services; 
(4) A plan to seek input from community mental health providers, when 
available, community groups, and other public and private entities in carrying 
out the program; 
(5) A plan, when applicable, to meet the specific mental and behavioral health 
needs of veterans attending institutions of higher education; 
(6) A description of the methods to be used to evaluate the outcomes and 
effectiveness of the program; and 
(7) An assurance that grant funds will be used to supplement, and not supplant, 
any other government funds available to carry out activities of the type carried 
out under the grant. 
(E) Special Considerations. - In awarding grants under this Section, the Chair 
shall give special consideration to applications that describe programs to be camed out 
under the grant that: 
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(1) Demonstrate the greatest need for new or additional mental and behavioral 
health services, in part by providing information on current ratios of students 
to mental and behavioral health professionals; 
(2) Propose effective approaches for initiating or expanding campus services and 
supports using evidence-based practices; 
(3) Target traditionally underserved populations and populations most at risk; 
(4) Where possible, demonstrate an awareness of, and a willingness to, coordinate 
with a community mental health center or other mental health resource in the 
community, to support screening and referral of students requiring intensive 
services; 
(5) Identify how the college or university will address psychiatric emergencies, 
including how information will be communicated with families or other 
appropriate parties; and 
(6) Demonstrate the greatest potential for replication and dissemination. 
(F) Use ofFunds. - Amounts received under a grant may be used to: 
(1) Provide mental and behavioral health services to students, including 
prevention, promotion of mental health, screening, early intervention, 
assessment, treatment, management, and education services relating to the 
mental and behavioral health of students; 
(2) Provide outreach services to notify students about the existence of mental and 
behavioral health services; 
(3) Educate families, peers, faculty, staff, and communities to increase awareness 
of mental health issues; 
(4) Support student groups on campus that engage in activities to educate 
students, reduce stigma surrounding mental and behavioral disorders, and 
promote mental health wellness; 
(5) Employ appropriately trained stafc 
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(6) Expand mental health training through internship, post-doctorate, and 
residency programs; 
(7) Develop and support evidence-based and emerging best practices, including a 
focus on culturally- and linguistically-appropriate best practices; and 
(8) Evaluate and disseminate best practices to other colleges and universities. 
(G) Duration of Grants. - A grant shall be awarded for a period not to exceed 3 
years. 
(H) Evaluation and Reporting. - 
(1) Evaluation. - Not later than 18 months after the date on which a grant is 
received, the eligible entity involved shall submit to the Chair the results of an 
evaluation to be conducted by the entity. concerning the effectiveness of the 
activities carried out under the grant and plans for the sustainability of such 
efforts. 
(2) Report. -Not later than 2 years after the date of the effectivity of this Act, the 
Chair shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
concerning the results of: 
(i) The evaluations conducted under paragraph (1); and 
(ii) An evaluation conducted by the Chair to analyze the effectiveness and 
efficacy of the activities conducted with grants under this Section. 
(I) Technical Assistance. - The Chair may provide technical assistance to grantees 
in carrying out this Section. 
SECTION 3. Mental and Behavioral Health Outreach and Education on College 
Campuses. - 
(A) Purpose. - It is the purpose of this Section to increase access to, and reduce 
the stigma associated with, mental health services so as to ensure that college students 
have the support necessary to successfully complete their studies. 
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(B) National Public Education Campaign. - The Chair, shall convene an 
interagency, public-private sector working group to plan, establish, and begin 
coordinating and evaluating a targeted public education campaign that is designed to 
focus on mental and behavioral health on college'campuses. Such campaign shall be 
designed to: 
(1) Improve the general understanding of mental health and mental health 
disorders; 
(2) Encourage help-seeking behaviors relating to the promotion of mental health, 
prevention of mental health disorders, and treatment of such disorders; 
(3) Make the connection between mental and behavioral health and academic 
success; and 
(4) Assist the general public in identiffing the early warning signs and reducing 
the stigma of mental illness. 
(C) Composition. -The working group under paragraph (B) shall include: 
(1) Mental health consuners, including students and family members; 
(2) Representatives of colleges and universities; 
(3) Representatives of national mental and behavioral health and college 
associations; 
(4) Representatives of college health promotion and prevention organizations; 
(5) Representatives of mental health providers, including community mental 
health centers; and 
(6) Representatives of private- and public-sector groups with experience in the 
development of effective public health education campaigns. 
(D) Plan. - The working group under paragraph (B) shall develop a plan that 
shall: 
(1) Target promotional and educational efforts to the college age population and 
individuals who are employed in college and university settings, including the 
use of roundtables; 
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(2) Develop and propose the implementation of research-based public health 
messages and activities; 
(3) Provide support for local efforts to reduce stigma by using the National Center 
for Mental Health as a primary point of contact for information, publications, 
and service program referrals; and 
(4) Develop and propose the implementation of a social marketing campaign that 
is targeted at the college population and individuals who are employed in 
college and university settings. 
SECTION 4. Interagency Working Group on College Mental Heulth. - 
(A) Establishment. - The Secretary of Health shall establish a College Campus 
Task Force, under the National Center for Mental Health, to discuss mental and 
behavioral health concerns on college and university campuses. 
(B) Membership - The Task Force shall be composed of a representative from 
each department that has jurisdiction over, or is affected by, mental health and education 
policies and projects, including the Commission on Higher Education and the Department 
of Health. 
(C) Duties. -The Task Force shall: 
(1) Serve as a centralized mechanism to coordinate a national effort to: 
(i) 
Discuss and evaluate evidence and knowledge on mental and behavioral 
health services available to, and the prevalence of mental health illness 
among, the college age population of the Philippines; 
Determine the range of effective, feasible, and comprehensive actions to 
improve mental and behavioral health on college and university 
campuses; 
(iii) Examine and better address the needs of the college age population 
dealing with mental illness; 
(ii) 
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(iv) Survey government departmentiagencies to determine which policies are 
effective in encouraging, and how best to facilitate outreach without 
duplicating, efforts relating to mental and behavioral health promotion; 
To establish specific goals within and across Federal agencies for mental 
health promotion, including determinations of accountability for 
reaching those goals; 
(v) 
(vi) To develop a strategy for allocating responsibilities and ensuring 
participation in mental and behavioral health promotions, particularly in 
the case of competing agency priorities; 
(vii) To coordinate plans to communicate research results relating to mental 
and behavioral health amongst the college age population to enable 
reporting and outreach activities to produce more useful and timely 
information; 
(viii) To provide a description of evidence-based best practices, model 
programs, effective guidelines, and other strategies for promoting mental 
and behavioral health on college and university campuses; 
(ix) To make recommendations to improve government efforts relating to 
mental and behavioral health promotion on college campuses and to 
ensure government efforts are consistent with available standards and 
evidence and other programs in existence as of the date of effectivity of 
this Act; and 
To monitor progress in meeting specific mental and behavioral health 
promotion goals as they relate to college and university settings; 
(2) Consult with national organizations with expertise in mental and behavioral 
(x) 
health, especially those organizations working with the college age population; and 
(3) Consult with and seek input from mental health professionals working on 
college and university campuses as appropriate. 
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(D) Meetings. - 
(1) In general. - The Task Force shall meet at least 3 times each year. 
(2) Annual Conference. - The Chair shall sponsor an annual conference on 
mental and behavioral health in college and university settings to enhance 
coordination, build partnerships, and share best practices in mental and 
behavioral health promotion, data collection, analysis, and services. 
SECTION 5. Appropriations, - The funds needed for the initial implementation 
of this Act shall be charged against the appropriations of the Commission on Higher 
Education. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for its full implementation shall 
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act as a distinct and separate item. 
SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 7 .  Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, 
or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
Ifldp 
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