Mental Health in Schools Excellence Program Act of 2019

To establish the Mental Health in Schools Excellence Program to increase the recruitment and retention of school-based mental health services providers, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Mental Health in Schools Excellence Program Act of 2019 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 in Schools Excellence 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) 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 graduate institution, appropriate information on the agreement between the Secretary and such college or university under subsection (c); and (2) conduct outreach to students who are eligible for Federal Pell Grants to inform such students of the program under this section. (e) Participating students (1) Repayment A participating student that accepts a contribution under this section shall reimburse the Department of Education and the eligible graduate school for all contributions made by such entities to such student as if such contributions were a loan under part D of title IV of the Higher Education Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1087a (A) withdraws or is removed from the graduate degree program for which the student received such contributions; or (B) except as provided in paragraph (2) and subject to paragraph (3), graduates, but is not employed as a school-based mental health services provider in the 5-year period after graduation. (2) Exception For purposes of calculating the 5-year period after graduation under paragraph (1)(C), the Secretary may not count any period of less than 2 years in which the participating student— (A) takes leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 ( 29 U.S.C. 2601 (B) serves under active duty in the Armed Forces; (C) takes maternity or paternity leave; or (D) any combination of subparagraphs (A) through (C). (3) Ratable reduction A participating student described in paragraph (1)(C) who was employed as a school-based mental health services provider for less than 5 years during the 5-year period after graduation shall reimburse the Department of Education and the eligible graduate school the amount that bears the same proportion to all contributions made by such entities as the amount of time such participating student was employed as a school-based mental health services provider during such 5-year period bears to such 5-year period. (f) 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. 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) Cost of attendance The term cost of attendance 20 U.S.C. 1087ll (2) Eligible graduate institution The term eligible graduate institution (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 20 U.S.C. 1001 (4) Participating student The term participating student (5) School-based mental health field The term school-based mental health field (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 20 U.S.C. 7112 (7) Secretary The term Secretary

Summary: Mental Health in Schools Excellence Program Act of 2019 This bill establishes a program to expand the mental-health services workforce in schools. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education to contract with graduate institutions to pay a share of the cost of attendance for graduate students pursuing careers in the school-based mental-health profession (e.g., school counselor).