I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3549 
To direct the Secretary of Education to establish a pilot grant program 
to develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive mental health services 
programs in elementary schools and secondary schools, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 25, 2021 
Mr. TRONE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Education to establish a pilot 
grant program to develop, implement, and evaluate com-
prehensive mental health services programs in elementary 
schools and secondary schools, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Comprehensive Mental 
Health in Schools Pilot Program Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH PILOT GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the program estab-
lished under this section are to— 
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(1) prioritize, with respect to all elementary 
school and secondary school students— 
(A) academic, cognitive, social-emotional, 
and identity development; 
(B) mental and behavioral health; and 
(C) physical health; 
(2) meet the priorities described in paragraph 
(1) by intervening with equitable multi-tier systems 
of support; 
(3) support measurable outcomes, which focus 
on continuous improvement instead of punitive 
measures; 
(4) ensure equitable access to high-quality, safe, 
and supportive learning environments; 
(5) integrate the teaching of social, emotional, 
and cognitive learning skills and competencies 
throughout all aspects of the elementary school and 
secondary school environments, including through 
standalone measures; 
(6) use evidence-based instructional materials, 
practices, programs, and resources to implement the 
practices described in paragraph (5); 
(7) build expertise among trusted adults with 
respect to responding to the mental and behavioral 
health needs of students in elementary school and 
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secondary school communities, including teachers, 
administrators, specialized instructional support per-
sonnel, paraprofessionals, other staff, parents, and 
caregivers; and 
(8) hire a full complement of mental and behav-
ioral health professionals to ensure an appropriate 
ratio of students to such professionals. 
(b) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es-
tablish a pilot grant program to award grants, on a com-
petitive basis, to local educational agencies to— 
(1) establish, develop, implement, and evaluate 
a comprehensive, multi-tier system of support with 
respect to mental and behavioral health services pro-
grams in elementary schools and secondary schools 
served by such local educational agencies; and 
(2) fully fund comprehensive mental and behav-
ioral health services in such elementary schools and 
secondary schools. 
(c) CONSULTATION
AND ASSISTANCE.—In estab-
lishing the program under subsection (b), the Secretary 
shall— 
(1) consult with nationally-recognized organiza-
tions that identify, support, and advocate for evi-
dence-based social-emotional learning policy and 
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practices and multi-tier systems of support within el-
ementary schools and secondary schools; 
(2) consult with nationally recognized organiza-
tions— 
(A) with expertise in child, adolescent, and 
developmental mental health; and 
(B) that identify, support, and advocate 
for evidence-based prevention of, and interven-
tion for, child trauma; and 
(3) provide technical assistance to grant recipi-
ents with respect to implementation and execution of 
activities under this section. 
(d) APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible for a grant 
under this section, a local educational agency shall 
submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require, including— 
(A) a needs assessment; 
(B) a plan to— 
(i) during the grant period described 
in subsection (f), implement the activities 
described under subsection (h); and 
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(h) GRANT USES.—A local educational agency shall 
use grant funds awarded under this section for the fol-
lowing activities: 
(1) Evaluating the needs of the elementary 
schools and secondary schools served by such local 
educational agency with respect to the activities de-
scribed in paragraphs (2) through (4). 
(2) Implementing, in consultation with teachers 
and school mental and behavioral health profes-
sionals, evidence-based universal social-emotional 
learning programs, approaches, and supports, in-
cluding by— 
(A) incorporating principles of motivation 
and engagement and resiliency training into 
class instruction; 
(B) promoting connections by establishing 
regular collaboration and communication be-
tween and among students, parents, caregivers, 
and staff; 
(C) promoting a safe, equitable, sup-
portive, and healthy school climate that is ra-
cially, culturally, developmentally, and linguis-
tically responsive to encourage positive behavior 
and academic engagement; 
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(D) establishing racially, culturally, devel-
opmentally, and linguistically appropriate evi-
dence-based trauma-informed and trauma-com-
petent practices to support students and staff; 
(E) establishing evidence-informed psycho-
logical supports for students and staff to pro-
mote a sense of agency, safety, calmness, self- 
efficacy, mindfulness, and coping skills; and 
(F) adopting positive, non-punitive, restor-
ative policies to address challenging behaviors, 
discipline, and de-escalation, focused on devel-
oping, maintaining, and repairing relationships 
in place of utilizing retributive and exclusionary 
practices. 
(3) Implementing targeted interventions that 
are equitable for all students and that support emo-
tional management, goal setting, and establishing 
routines and consistency, including— 
(A) evidence-based and trauma-informed 
screening and referral to mental and behavioral 
health services; 
(B) small groups for support, problem-solv-
ing, and strengthening collaborations; 
(C) peer support groups; 
(D) parent and caregiver engagement; 
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(E) periodic check-in meetings with stu-
dents during the regular school day; 
(F) by monitoring for evidence of food in-
security, homelessness, neglect, and abuse, in-
cluding with respect to disadvantaged students; 
and 
(G) personalized learning experiences, ac-
commodations, modifications, and technical sup-
ports as appropriate for students. 
(4) Implementing intensive supports, includ-
ing— 
(A) individualized intervention and support 
from school-based professionals; 
(B) by hiring such school-based profes-
sionals; and 
(C) ongoing evidence-based and trauma-in-
formed progress monitoring of students and 
intervention based on such monitoring. 
(5) Providing professional development for 
teachers and other school staff with respect to— 
(A) developing a healthy learning climate, 
including through positive classroom manage-
ment, enhancing empathy and respect, and pro-
moting a sense of belonging for students; 
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(B) integrating social and emotional learn-
ing, motivation and engagement, and resiliency 
training into classroom instruction and prac-
tices; 
(C) the impact of adverse childhood experi-
ences and traumatic experiences on the health 
and development of students; 
(D) evidence-based and trauma-informed 
approaches to teaching and managing student 
behavior; 
(E) racially, culturally, developmentally, 
and linguistically appropriate techniques for 
providing more agency to students; 
(F) implicit bias and restorative justice 
practices; and 
(G) racially, culturally, developmentally, 
and linguistically responsive teaching. 
(i) EVALUATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall— 
(A) not later than 1 year before the last 
day of the grant period described in subsection 
(f), enter into a contract with a nationally-rec-
ognized educational evaluation institution or or-
ganization; and 
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(B) not later than 1 year after the conclu-
sion of the grant period described in subsection 
(f), coordinate with such institution or organi-
zation to provide an evaluation of the pilot 
grant program, including— 
(i) a determination with respect to the 
sufficient ratio of school-based profes-
sionals to students; 
(ii) information with respect to the 
practices used by local educational agencies 
to improve the mental and behavioral well- 
being of students; 
(iii) information with respect to in-
creased competencies among teachers and 
other school staff on social and emotional 
learning and trauma-informed practices; 
(iv) data on the mental and behavioral 
health outcomes of students, in the aggre-
gate and disaggregated by— 
(I) race and ethnicity; 
(II) gender; 
(III) sexual orientation; 
(IV) status as an English learn-
er; and 
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(V) status as a student with a 
disability; and 
(v) a recommendation as to whether 
such program should be continued or ex-
panded. 
(2) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall make 
the evaluation required under paragraph (1) publicly 
available on the website of the Department. 
(3) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the 
completion of the evaluation required under para-
graph (1), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report on the outcome of the pilot grant program, 
including a recommendation with respect to con-
tinuing or expanding the program. 
(j) CONTINUATION OF PROGRAM.— 
(1) APPLICATIONS.—If the evaluation required 
under subsection (i)(1) contains a recommendation 
that the pilot grant program should be continued or 
expanded, the Secretary— 
(A) may continue or expand such program; 
and 
(B) if such program is expanded or contin-
ued— 
(i) shall allow a local educational 
agency that did not receive a grant under 
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$20,000,000, for fiscal year 2022, to be available until ex-
pended. 
(l) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ESEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘Department’’, 
‘‘elementary school’’, ‘‘multi-tier system of sup-
ports’’, and ‘‘Secretary’’ have the meanings given 
such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(2) SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL.—The term 
‘‘school-based professional’’ means a behavioral spe-
cialist or mental health specialist. 
Æ 
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