I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1211 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to revise and extend projects relating 
to children and violence to provide access to school-based comprehensive 
mental health programs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 3, 2015 
Mrs. NAPOLITANO (for herself, Mr. GIBSON, and Mr. TONKO) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to revise and extend 
projects relating to children and violence to provide ac-
cess to school-based comprehensive mental health pro-
grams. 
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 ‘‘Mental Health in 
Schools Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSES. 
It is the purpose of this Act to— 
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(1) revise, increase funding for, and expand the 
scope of the Safe Schools-Healthy Students program 
in order to provide access to more comprehensive 
school-based mental health services and supports; 
(2) provide for comprehensive staff development 
for school and community service personnel working 
in the school; and 
(3) provide for comprehensive training for chil-
dren with mental health disorders, for parents, sib-
lings, and other family members of such children, 
and for concerned members of the community. 
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 
ACT. 
(a) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—The second part G 
(relating to services provided through religious organiza-
tions) of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 290kk et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating such part as part J; and 
(2) by redesignating sections 581 through 584 
as sections 596 through 596C, respectively. 
(b) SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH AND CHIL-
DREN AND VIOLENCE.—Section 581 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290hh) is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
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‘‘SEC. 581. SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH AND CHIL-
DREN AND VIOLENCE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in collaboration 
with the Secretary of Education and in consultation with 
the Attorney General, shall, directly or through grants, 
contracts, or cooperative agreements awarded to public en-
tities and local education agencies, assist local commu-
nities and schools in applying a public health approach 
to mental health services both in schools and in the com-
munity. Such approach should provide comprehensive age 
appropriate services and supports, be linguistically and 
culturally appropriate, be trauma-informed, and incor-
porate age appropriate strategies of positive behavioral 
interventions and supports. A comprehensive school men-
tal health program funded under this section shall assist 
children in dealing with trauma and violence. 
‘‘(b) ACTIVITIES.—Under the program under sub-
section (a), the Secretary may— 
‘‘(1) provide financial support to enable local 
communities to implement a comprehensive cul-
turally and linguistically appropriate, trauma-in-
formed, and age-appropriate, school mental health 
program that incorporates positive behavioral inter-
ventions, client treatment, and supports to foster the 
health and development of children; 
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‘‘(2) provide technical assistance to local com-
munities with respect to the development of pro-
grams described in paragraph (1); 
‘‘(3) provide assistance to local communities in 
the development of policies to address child and ado-
lescent trauma and mental health issues and violence 
when and if it occurs; 
‘‘(4) facilitate community partnerships among 
families, students, law enforcement agencies, edu-
cation systems, mental health and substance use dis-
order service systems, family-based mental health 
service systems, welfare agencies, health care service 
systems (including physicians), faith-based pro-
grams, trauma networks, and other community- 
based systems; and 
‘‘(5) establish mechanisms for children and ado-
lescents to report incidents of violence or plans by 
other children, adolescents, or adults to commit vio-
lence. 
‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible for a grant, 
contract, or cooperative agreement under subsection 
(a), an entity shall— 
‘‘(A) be a partnership between a local edu-
cation agency and at least one community pro-
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gram or agency that is involved in mental 
health; and 
‘‘(B) submit an application, that is en-
dorsed by all members of the partnership, that 
contains the assurances described in paragraph 
(2). 
‘‘(2) REQUIRED ASSURANCES.—An application 
under paragraph (1) shall contain assurances as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(A) That the applicant will ensure that, 
in carrying out activities under this section, the 
local educational agency involved will enter into 
a memorandum of understanding— 
‘‘(i) with, at least one, public or pri-
vate mental health entity, health care enti-
ty, law enforcement or juvenile justice enti-
ty, child welfare agency, family-based men-
tal health entity, family or family organiza-
tion, trauma network, or other community- 
based entity; and 
‘‘(ii) that clearly states— 
‘‘(I) the responsibilities of each 
partner with respect to the activities 
to be carried out; 
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‘‘(II) how each such partner will 
be accountable for carrying out such 
responsibilities; and 
‘‘(III) the amount of non-Federal 
funding or in-kind contributions that 
each such partner will contribute in 
order to sustain the program. 
‘‘(B) That the comprehensive school-based 
mental health program carried out under this 
section supports the flexible use of funds to ad-
dress— 
‘‘(i) the promotion of the social, emo-
tional, and behavioral health of all students 
in an environment that is conducive to 
learning; 
‘‘(ii) the reduction in the likelihood of 
at risk students developing social, emo-
tional, behavioral health problems, or sub-
stance use disorders; 
‘‘(iii) the early identification of social, 
emotional, behavioral problems, or sub-
stance use disorders and the provision of 
early intervention services; 
‘‘(iv) the treatment or referral for 
treatment of students with existing social, 
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emotional, behavioral health problems, or 
substance use disorders; and 
‘‘(v) the development and implementa-
tion of programs to assist children in deal-
ing with trauma and violence. 
‘‘(C) That the comprehensive school-based 
mental health program carried out under this 
section will provide for in-service training of all 
school personnel, including ancillary staff and 
volunteers, in— 
‘‘(i) the techniques and supports need-
ed to identify early children with trauma 
histories and children with, or at risk of, 
mental illness; 
‘‘(ii) the use of referral mechanisms 
that effectively link such children to appro-
priate treatment and intervention services 
in the school and in the community and to 
follow-up when services are not available; 
‘‘(iii) strategies that promote a school- 
wide positive environment; 
‘‘(iv) strategies for promoting the so-
cial, emotional, mental, and behavioral 
health of all students; and 
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‘‘(v) strategies to increase the knowl-
edge and skills of school and community 
leaders about the impact of trauma and vi-
olence and on the application of a public 
health approach to comprehensive school- 
based mental health programs. 
‘‘(D) That the comprehensive school-based 
mental health program carried out under this 
section will include comprehensive training for 
parents, siblings, and other family members of 
children with mental health disorders, and for 
concerned members of the community in— 
‘‘(i) the techniques and supports need-
ed to identify early children with trauma 
histories, and children with, or at risk of, 
mental illness; 
‘‘(ii) the use of referral mechanisms 
that effectively link such children to appro-
priate treatment and intervention services 
in the school and in the community and 
follow-up when such services are not avail-
able; and 
‘‘(iii) strategies that promote a school- 
wide positive environment. 
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‘‘(E) That the comprehensive school-based 
mental health program carried out under this 
section will demonstrate the measures to be 
taken to sustain the program after funding 
under this section terminates. 
‘‘(F) That the local education agency part-
nership involved is supported by the State edu-
cational and mental health system to ensure 
that the sustainability of the programs is estab-
lished after funding under this section termi-
nates. 
‘‘(G) That the comprehensive school-based 
mental health program carried out under this 
section will be based on trauma-informed and 
evidence-based practices. 
‘‘(H) That the comprehensive school-based 
mental health program carried out under this 
section will be coordinated with early inter-
vening activities carried out under the Individ-
uals with Disabilities Education Act. 
‘‘(I) That the comprehensive school-based 
mental health program carried out under this 
section will be trauma-informed and culturally 
and linguistically appropriate. 
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‘‘(J) That the comprehensive school-based 
mental health program carried out under this 
section will include a broad needs assessment of 
youth who drop out of school due to policies of 
‘zero tolerance’ with respect to drugs, alcohol, 
or weapons and an inability to obtain appro-
priate services. 
‘‘(K) That the mental health services pro-
vided through the comprehensive school-based 
mental health program carried out under this 
section will be provided by qualified mental and 
behavioral health professionals who are certified 
or licensed by the State involved and practicing 
within their area of expertise. 
‘‘(3) COORDINATOR.—Any entity that is a 
member of a partnership described in paragraph 
(1)(A) may serve as the coordinator of funding and 
activities under the grant if all members of the part-
nership agree. 
‘‘(4) COMPLIANCE
WITH
HIPAA.—A grantee 
under this section shall be deemed to be a covered 
entity for purposes of compliance with the regula-
tions promulgated under section 264(c) of the 
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 
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of 1996 with respect to any patient records devel-
oped through activities under the grant. 
‘‘(d) GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.—The Secretary 
shall ensure that grants, contracts, or cooperative agree-
ments under subsection (a) will be distributed equitably 
among the regions of the country and among urban and 
rural areas. 
‘‘(e) DURATION
OF AWARDS.—With respect to a 
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under sub-
section (a), the period during which payments under such 
an award will be made to the recipient shall be 5 years. 
An entity may receive only one award under this section, 
except that an entity that is providing services and sup-
ports on a regional basis may receive additional funding 
after the expiration of the preceding grant period. 
‘‘(f) EVALUATION AND MEASURES OF OUTCOMES.— 
‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT
OF
PROCESS.—The Ad-
ministrator shall develop a fiscally appropriate proc-
ess for evaluating activities carried out under this 
section. Such process shall include— 
‘‘(A) the development of guidelines for the 
submission of program data by grant, contract, 
or cooperative agreement recipients; 
‘‘(B) the development of measures of out-
comes (in accordance with paragraph (2)) to be 
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applied by such recipients in evaluating pro-
grams carried out under this section; and 
‘‘(C) the submission of annual reports by 
such recipients concerning the effectiveness of 
programs carried out under this section. 
‘‘(2) MEASURES OF OUTCOMES.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall develop measures of outcomes to be ap-
plied by recipients of assistance under this sec-
tion, and the Administrator, in evaluating the 
effectiveness of programs carried out under this 
section. Such measures shall include student 
and family measures as provided for in sub-
paragraph (B) and local educational measures 
as provided for under subparagraph (C). 
‘‘(B) STUDENT AND FAMILY MEASURES OF 
OUTCOMES.—The measures of outcomes devel-
oped under paragraph (1)(B) relating to stu-
dents and families shall, with respect to activi-
ties carried out under a program under this 
section, at a minimum include provisions to 
evaluate whether the program is effective in— 
‘‘(i) increasing social and emotional 
competency; 
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‘‘(ii) increasing academic competency 
(as defined by Secretary); 
‘‘(iii) reducing disruptive and aggres-
sive behaviors; 
‘‘(iv) improving child functioning; 
‘‘(v) reducing substance use disorders; 
‘‘(vi) reducing suspensions, truancy, 
expulsions and violence; 
‘‘(vii) increasing graduation rates (as 
defined in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(vi) of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965); and 
‘‘(viii) improving access to care for 
mental health disorders. 
‘‘(C) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES.— 
The outcome measures developed under para-
graph (1)(B) relating to local educational sys-
tems shall, with respect to activities carried out 
under a program under this section, at a min-
imum include provisions to evaluate— 
‘‘(i) the effectiveness of comprehensive 
school mental health programs established 
under this section; 
‘‘(ii) the effectiveness of formal part-
nership linkages among child and family 
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serving institutions, community support 
systems, and the educational system; 
‘‘(iii) the progress made in sustaining 
the program once funding under the grant 
has expired; 
‘‘(iv) the effectiveness of training and 
professional development programs for all 
school personnel that incorporate indica-
tors that measure cultural and linguistic 
competencies under the program in a man-
ner that incorporates appropriate cultural 
and linguistic training; 
‘‘(v) the improvement in perception of 
a safe and supportive learning environment 
among school staff, students, and parents; 
‘‘(vi) the improvement in case-finding 
of students in need of more intensive serv-
ices and referral of identified students to 
early intervention and clinical services; 
‘‘(vii) the improvement in the imme-
diate availability of clinical assessment and 
treatment services within the context of 
the local community to students posing a 
danger to themselves or others; 
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‘‘(viii) the increased successful matric-
ulation to postsecondary school; and 
‘‘(ix) reduced referrals to juvenile jus-
tice. 
‘‘(3) SUBMISSION OF ANNUAL DATA.—An entity 
that receives a grant, contract, or cooperative agree-
ment under this section shall annually submit to the 
Administrator a report that includes data to evalu-
ate the success of the program carried out by the en-
tity based on whether such program is achieving the 
purposes of the program. Such reports shall utilize 
the measures of outcomes under paragraph (2) in a 
reasonable manner to demonstrate the progress of 
the program in achieving such purposes. 
‘‘(4) EVALUATION BY ADMINISTRATOR.—Based 
on the data submitted under paragraph (3), the Ad-
ministrator shall annually submit to Congress a re-
port concerning the results and effectiveness of the 
programs carried out with assistance received under 
this section. 
‘‘(5) LIMITATION.—A grantee shall use not to 
exceed 10 percent of amounts received under a grant 
under this section to carry out evaluation activities 
under this subsection. 
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‘‘(g) INFORMATION
AND
EDUCATION.—The Sec-
retary shall establish comprehensive information and edu-
cation programs to disseminate the findings of the knowl-
edge development and application under this section to the 
general public and to health care professionals. 
‘‘(h) AMOUNT OF GRANTS AND AUTHORIZATION OF 
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) AMOUNT OF GRANTS.—A grant under this 
section shall be in an amount that is not more than 
$1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 
2020. The Secretary shall determine the amount of 
each such grant based on the population of children 
up to age 21 of the area to be served under the 
grant. 
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this section, $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2016 through 2020.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Part G of title V of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290hh et seq.), 
as amended by this section, is further amended by striking 
the part heading and inserting the following: 
‘‘PART G—SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH’’. 
Æ 
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