Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act of 2021

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a grant program to promote comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention efforts in high schools, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act of 2021 2. Coordinated promotion of high 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 high school students with mental health and behavioral health issues that can lead to school failure, 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 high school students served by such eligible entity; (2) a description of existing Federal, State, local, private, and institutional resources available to address the needs described in paragraph (1); (3) a description of the outreach strategies of such eligible entity to promote access to services, including a proposed plan for mental health equity and assisting students most in need of mental health services; (4) a description of how such eligible entity will involve, as appropriate, students and peer representatives in the planning, implementation, and evaluation processes; (5) a description of how such eligible entity will support other students and the school community if a student dies by suicide; (6) a plan to— (A) implement the activities described in subsection (c); and (B) evaluate the outcomes of such activities; and (7) 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. (c) Grant uses A grant awarded under this section may only be used, with respect to high school students served by an eligible entity, for— (1) evaluating existing program activities and prevention strategies; (2) educational seminars; (3) educational awareness campaign materials for students, families of students, and school staff to increase the awareness of potential mental and behavioral health issues of students; (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 students through telehealth; (8) training programs for students and high school teachers, school leaders, and other school personnel to learn to respond effectively to students with mental health and behavioral health issues that can lead to school failure, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide attempts; and (9) the creation of an infrastructure to facilitate communication between high schools served by a local educational agency or State educational agency that does not have mental health services, including health care providers who can treat mental health and behavioral health issues. (d) Matching requirement (1) In general An eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall provide non-Federal matching funds (including funds from donations from public or private entities) equal to the amount of the grant. (2) Determination of amount contributed (A) In-kind support Non-Federal matching funds described in paragraph (1) may include cash or in-kind support. (B) Federal support Amounts provided by the Federal Government, or services assisted or subsidized to any significant extent by the Federal Government may not be included when determining the amount of non-Federal matching funds provided. (3) Waiver The Secretary may waive the matching funds requirement of paragraph (1) with respect to a grant made to an eligible entity under this section if the Secretary determines that such eligible entity has demonstrated extraordinary need for such a waiver. (e) 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 high schools, including efforts to reduce the occurrence of suicide and substance abuse. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (2) ESEA terms The terms high school local educational agency secondary school State educational agency 20 U.S.C. 7801 (3) Secretary The term Secretary

Summary: Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the award of matching grants to enhance services in secondary schools for students with mental and behavioral health issues that can lead to failure in school, such as depression and substance abuse. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration may award these grants on a competitive basis to state or local educational agencies that serve at least one secondary school.