SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mental Health Matters 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents of this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
TITLE I—EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH ACT 
Sec. 101. Short title. 
Sec. 102. Identification of effective interventions in Head Start programs. 
Sec. 103. Implementing the interventions in Head Start programs. 
Sec. 104. Evaluating implementation of interventions in Head Start programs. 
Sec. 105. Implementing the evaluation framework for Head Start programs. 
Sec. 106. Best Practice Centers. 
Sec. 107. Funding. 
TITLE II—BUILDING PIPELINE OF SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL 
HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS ACT 
Sec. 201. Short title. 
Sec. 202. Definitions. 
Sec. 203. Grant program to increase the number of school-based mental health 
services providers serving in high-need local educational agen-
cies. 
TITLE III—ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL COUNSELING 
ACT 
Sec. 301. Short title. 
Sec. 302. Definitions. 
Sec. 303. Allotments to States and subgrants to local educational agencies. 
Sec. 304. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE IV—SUPPORTING TRAUMA-INFORMED EDUCATION 
PRACTICES ACT 
Sec. 401. Short title. 
Sec. 402. Amendment to the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. 
TITLE V—RESPOND, INNOVATE, SUCCEED, AND EMPOWER ACT 
Sec. 501. Short title. 
Sec. 502. Perfecting amendment to the definition of disability. 
Sec. 503. Supporting students with disabilities to succeed once enrolled in col-
lege. 
Sec. 504. Authorization of funds for the National Center for Information and 
Technical Support for Postsecondary Students With Disabil-
ities. 
Sec. 505. Inclusion of information on students with disabilities. 
Sec. 506. Rule of construction.
TITLE VI—STRENGTHENING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BENEFITS 
ACT 
Sec. 601. Short title. 
Sec. 602. Enforcement of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Require-
ments. 
TITLE VII—EMPLOYEE AND RETIREE ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT 
Sec. 701. Short title. 
Sec. 702. Unenforceable arbitration clauses, class action waivers, representation 
waivers, and discretionary clauses. 
Sec. 703. Prohibition on mandatory arbitration clauses, class action waivers, 
representation waivers, and discretionary clauses. 
Sec. 704. Effective date. 
TITLE VIII—STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH RIGHTS 
Sec. 801. Short title. 
Sec. 802. Findings. 
Sec. 803. Study. 
Sec. 804. Guidance. 
Sec. 805. Definitions. 
TITLE IX—OCCUPATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAM ON MENTAL 
HEALTH 
Sec. 901. Occupational research program on mental health. 
TITLE I—EARLY CHILDHOOD 
MENTAL HEALTH ACT 
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Early Childhood Men-
tal Health Support Act’’. 
SEC. 102. IDENTIFICATION OF EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS 
IN HEAD START PROGRAMS. 
(a) INTERVENTIONS THAT IMPROVE SOCIAL-EMO-
TIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OF CHILDREN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services acting through the Assistant Sec-
retary for the Administration for Children and Fam-
ilies (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’)
shall identify and review interventions, best prac-
tices, curricula, and staff trainings— 
(A) that improve the behavioral health of 
children; and 
(B) that are evidence based. 
(2) FOCUS.—In carrying out paragraph (1), the 
Secretary shall focus on interventions, best practices, 
curricula, and staff trainings that— 
(A) can be delivered by a provider or other 
staff member in or associated with a Head 
Start program or Early Head Start center; 
(B) are demonstrated to improve or sup-
port healthy social, emotional, or cognitive de-
velopment for children in Head Start or Early 
Head Start programs, with an empirical or the-
oretical relationship to later mental health or 
substance abuse outcomes; 
(C) involve changes to center-wide policies 
or practices, or other services and supports of-
fered in conjunction with Head Start programs 
or Early Head Start centers, including services 
provided to adults or families (with or without 
a child present) for the benefit of the children; 
(D) demonstrate effectiveness across ra-
cial, ethnic, and geographic populations or dem-
onstrate the capacity to be adapted to be effec-
tive across populations; 
(E) offer a tiered approach to addressing 
need, including— 
(i) universal interventions for all chil-
dren; 
(ii) selected prevention for children 
demonstrating increased need; and 
(iii) indicated prevention for children 
demonstrating substantial need; 
(F) incorporate trauma-informed care ap-
proaches; or 
(G) have a proven record of improving 
early childhood and social emotional develop-
ment. 
(b) 
INTERVENTIONS
THAT
SUPPORT
STAFF 
WELLNESS.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall identify and review interventions, best practices, cur-
ricula, and staff trainings that support staff wellness and 
self-care. 
(c) CREDENTIALS.—In carrying out subsections (a) 
and (b), the Secretary, in consultation with relevant ex-
perts, shall determine the appropriate credentials for indi-
viduals who deliver the interventions, best practices, cur-
ricula, and staff trainings identified by the Secretary.
(d) CONSULTATION; PUBLIC INPUT.—In carrying out 
this section, the Secretary shall— 
(1) consult with relevant agencies, experts, aca-
demics, think tanks, and nonprofit organizations 
with expertise in early childhood, mental health, and 
trauma-informed care, including the National Insti-
tute of Mental Health, the Administration for Chil-
dren and Families, the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration, the Institute of 
Education Sciences, and the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention; and 
(2) solicit public input on— 
(A) the design of the reviews under sub-
sections (a) and (b); and 
(B) the findings and conclusions resulting 
from such reviews. 
(e) TIMING.—The Secretary shall— 
(1) complete the initial reviews required by sub-
sections (a) and (b) not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act; and 
(2) update such reviews and the findings and 
conclusions therefrom at least every 5 years. 
(f) REPORTING.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and every 5 years thereafter,
the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress on 
the results of implementing this section. 
SEC. 103. IMPLEMENTING THE INTERVENTIONS IN HEAD 
START PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary for the 
Administration for Children and Families shall award 
grants to participating Head Start agencies to implement 
the interventions, best practices, curricula, and staff 
trainings that are identified pursuant to section 102. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The Assistant Secretary shall 
ensure that grants awarded under this section are award-
ed to grantees representing a diversity of geographic areas 
across the United States, including urban, suburban, and 
rural areas. 
SEC. 104. EVALUATING IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERVEN-
TIONS IN HEAD START PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary 
for Planning and Evaluation and in coordination with the 
Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children 
and Families, shall— 
(1) determine whether the interventions, best 
practices, curricula, and staff trainings implemented 
pursuant to section 103—
(A) are effectively implemented pursuant 
to section 103 and other relevant provisions of 
law such that the anticipated effect sizes of the 
interventions, best practices, curricula, and 
staff trainings are achieved; and 
(B) yield long-term savings; 
(2) develop a method for making the determina-
tion required by paragraph (1); 
(3) ensure that such method includes com-
petency and testing approaches, performance or out-
come measures, or any other methods deemed appro-
priate by the Assistant Secretary, taking into consid-
eration existing monitoring components of the Head 
Start and Early Head Start programs; and 
(4) solicit public input on the design, findings, 
and conclusions of this process and shall consider 
whether updates are necessary at least every 5 
years. 
(b) PROCESS.—In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall— 
(1) conduct any research and evaluation studies 
needed; and 
(2) solicit public input on— 
(A) the design of the method developed 
pursuant to subsection (a)(2); and
(B) the resulting findings and conclusions. 
(c) TIMING.—The Secretary of Health and Human 
Services shall— 
(1) develop the method required by subsection 
(a)(2) and make the initial determination required 
by subsection (a)(1) not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act; and 
(2) update such method and determination at 
least every 5 years. 
SEC. 105. IMPLEMENTING THE EVALUATION FRAMEWORK 
FOR HEAD START PROGRAMS. 
(a) EVALUATION METHOD.—The Assistant Secretary 
for the Administration for Children and Families shall im-
plement the evaluation method developed pursuant to sec-
tion 104(a) in the Head Start program as a voluntary 
mechanism for interested Head Start programs or Early 
Head Start centers to evaluate the extent to which such 
programs or centers have effectively implemented the 
interventions, best practices, curricula, and staff trainings 
identified pursuant to section 102, with minimal burden 
or disruption to programs and centers interested in par-
ticipating. 
(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Assistant Sec-
retary for the Administration for Children and Families 
shall provide guidance, tools, resources, and technical as-
sistance to grantees for implementing and evaluating 
interventions, best practices, curricula, and staff trainings 
identified pursuant to section 102 and optimizing the per-
formance of such grantees on the annual evaluations. 
SEC. 106. BEST PRACTICE CENTERS. 
The Assistant Secretary for the Administration for 
Children and Families may fund up to 5 Best Practice 
Centers in Early Childhood Training in universities and 
colleges to prepare future Head Start agencies and staff 
able to deliver the interventions, best practices, curricula, 
and staff trainings identified pursuant to section 102. 
SEC. 107. FUNDING. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for the period 
of fiscal years 2023 through 2032 for carrying out sec-
tions 103(b), 104, and 106. 
(b) AVAILABILITY OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Amounts 
authorized to be appropriated by subsection (a) are au-
thorized to remain available until expended.
TITLE 
II—BUILDING 
PIPELINE 
OF SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL 
HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS 
ACT 
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Building Pipeline of 
School-Based Mental Health Service Providers Act’’. 
SEC. 202. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) BEST PRACTICES.—The term ‘‘best prac-
tices’’ means a technique or methodology that, 
through experience and research related to profes-
sional practice in a school-based mental health field, 
has proven to reliably lead to a desired result. 
(2) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION.—The term ‘‘eligi-
ble institution’’ means an institution of higher edu-
cation that offers a program of study that leads to 
a master’s or other graduate degree— 
(A) in school psychology that prepares stu-
dents in such program for the State licensing or 
certification examination in school psychology; 
(B) in school counseling that prepares stu-
dents in such program for the State licensing or 
certification examination in school counseling;
(C) in school social work that prepares stu-
dents 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 examina-
tion in such field, if applicable; or 
(E) in any combination of study described 
in subparagraphs (A) through (D). 
(3) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘‘eligi-
ble partnership’’ means— 
(A) a partnership between 1 or more high- 
need local educational agencies and 1 or more 
eligible institutions; or 
(B) in any region in which local edu-
cational agencies may not have a sufficient ele-
mentary school and secondary school student 
population to support the placement of all par-
ticipating graduate students, a partnership be-
tween a State educational agency, on behalf of 
1 or more high-need local educational agencies, 
and 1 or more eligible institutions. 
(4) HIGH-NEED
LOCAL
EDUCATIONAL
AGEN-
CY.—The term ‘‘high-need local educational agency’’ 
means a local educational agency that—
(A) is described in section 200(10) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1021(10)); and 
(B) as of the date of application for a 
grant under this title, has ratios of school coun-
selors, school social workers, and school psy-
chologists to students served by the agency that 
are not more than 1 school counselor per 250 
students, not more than 1 school psychologist 
per 500 students, and not more than 1 school 
social worker per 250 students. 
(5) HISTORICALLY
BLACK
COLLEGE
OR
UNI-
VERSITY.—The term ‘‘historically Black college or 
university’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘part B 
institution’’ in section 322 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061). 
(6) HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTHS.—The 
term ‘‘homeless children and youths’’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 725 of the McKinney- 
Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a). 
(7) INDIAN TRIBE; TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—In 
this section the terms ‘‘Indian tribe’’ and ‘‘tribal or-
ganization’’ have the meanings given those terms in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)).
(8) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(9) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘local educational agency’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(10) MINORITY-SERVING
INSTITUTION.—The 
term ‘‘minority-serving institution’’ means, as de-
fined in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)), a Hispanic-serving 
institution, an Alaska Native-serving institution or a 
Native Hawaiian-serving institution, a Predomi-
nantly Black Institution, an Asian American and 
Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution, 
or a Native American-serving nontribal institution. 
(11) OUTLYING
AREA.—The term ‘‘outlying 
area’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
8101(36)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(36)(A)). 
(12) PARTICIPATING ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION.— 
The term ‘‘participating eligible institution’’ means 
an eligible institution that is part of an eligible part-
nership awarded a grant under section 203.
(13) PARTICIPATING
GRADUATE.—The term 
‘‘participating graduate’’ means an individual who— 
(A) has received a master’s or other grad-
uate degree in a school-based mental health 
field from a participating eligible institution 
and has obtained a State license or credential 
in the school-based mental health field; and 
(B) as a graduate student pursuing a ca-
reer in a school-based mental health field, was 
placed in a school served by a participating 
high-need local educational agency to complete 
required field work, credit hours, internships, or 
related training as applicable. 
(14) PARTICIPATING HIGH-NEED LOCAL EDU-
CATIONAL AGENCY.—The term ‘‘participating high- 
need local educational agency’’ means a high-need 
local educational agency that is part of an eligible 
partnership awarded a grant under section 203. 
(15) 
SCHOOL-BASED
MENTAL
HEALTH 
FIELD.—The term ‘‘school-based mental health 
field’’ means each of the following fields: 
(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. 
(16) SCHOOL-BASED
MENTAL
HEALTH
SERV-
ICES
PROVIDER.—The term ‘‘school-based mental 
health services provider’’ has the meaning given the 
term in section 4102 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7112). 
(17) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of Education. 
(18) STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘State educational agency’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(19) STUDENT SUPPORT PERSONNEL TARGET 
RATIOS.—The term ‘‘student support personnel tar-
get ratios’’ means the ratios of school-based mental 
health services providers to students recommended 
to enable such personnel to effectively address the 
needs of students, including— 
(A) at least 1 school counselor for every 
250 students (as recommended by the American 
School Counselor Association and American 
Counseling Association);
(B) at least 1 school psychologist for every 
500 students (as recommended by the National 
Association of School Psychologists); and 
(C) at least 1 school social worker for 
every 250 students (as recommended by the 
School Social Work Association of America). 
(20) TRIBALLY CONTROLLED COLLEGE OR UNI-
VERSITY.—The term ‘‘tribally controlled college or 
university’’ has the meaning given such term in sec-
tion 2 of the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Uni-
versities Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801). 
(21) UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH.—The term ‘‘un-
accompanied youth’’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 725 of the McKinney-Vento Home-
less Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a). 
SEC. 203. GRANT PROGRAM TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF 
SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 
PROVIDERS SERVING IN HIGH-NEED LOCAL 
EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF GRANTS.— 
(1) GRANT
PROGRAM
AUTHORIZED.—From 
amounts made available to carry out this section, the 
Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, 
to eligible partnerships, to enable the eligible part-
nerships to carry out pipeline programs to increase
the number of school-based mental health services 
providers employed by high-need local educational 
agencies by carrying out any of the activities de-
scribed in subsection (e). 
(2) RESERVATIONS.—From the total amount 
appropriated under subsection (j) for a fiscal year, 
the Secretary shall reserve— 
(A) one-half of 1 percent for the Secretary 
of the Interior to carry out programs under this 
title in schools operated or funded by the Bu-
reau of Indian Education, Indian tribes and 
tribal organizations, or a consortium of Indian 
tribes and tribal organizations; 
(B) one-half of 1 percent for allotments to 
outlying areas based on the relative need of 
each such area with respect to mental health 
services in schools, as determined by the Sec-
retary in accordance with the purpose of this 
title; 
(C) not more than 3 percent to conduct 
the evaluations under subsection (h); and 
(D) not more than 2 percent for the ad-
ministration of the program under this title and 
to provide technical assistance relating to such 
program.
(b) GRANT PERIOD.—A grant awarded under this 
section shall be for a 5-year period and may be renewed 
for additional 5-year periods upon a showing of adequate 
progress, as determined by the Secretary. 
(c) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an eligible partnership shall submit to 
the Secretary a grant application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require. At a minimum, such application shall in-
clude— 
(1) an assessment of the existing (as of the 
date of application) ratios of school-based mental 
health services providers (in the aggregate and 
disaggregated by profession) to students enrolled in 
schools in each high-need local educational agency 
that is part of the eligible partnership; and 
(2) a detailed description of— 
(A) a plan to carry out a pipeline program 
to train, place, and retain school-based mental 
health services providers in high-need local edu-
cational agencies; and 
(B) the proposed allocation and use of 
grant funds to carry out activities described in 
subsection (e).
(d) AWARD BASIS.—In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall— 
(1) ensure that to the extent practicable, grants 
are distributed among eligible entities that will serve 
geographically diverse areas; and 
(2) give priority to eligible partnerships that— 
(A) propose to use the grant funds to 
carry out the activities described under para-
graphs (1) through (3) of subsection (e) in 
schools that have higher numbers or percent-
ages of low-income students (determined using 
any of the measures of poverty described in sec-
tion 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
6313(a)(5))), in comparison to other schools 
that are served by the high-need local edu-
cational agency that is part of the eligible part-
nership; 
(B) include 1 or more high-need local edu-
cational agencies that have fewer school-based 
mental health services providers, in the aggre-
gate or for a particular school-based mental 
health field, per student than other eligible 
partnerships that have submitted a grant appli-
cation under subsection (c);
(2) MATCHING
REQUIREMENTS.—In order to 
receive an allotment under paragraph (1), a State 
shall agree to provide matching funds, in an amount 
equal to 20 percent of the amount of the allotment, 
toward the costs of the activities carried out with the 
allotment. 
(3) APPLICATION.—A State desiring an allot-
ment under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Sec-
retary an application at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require. Each application shall include, at a 
minimum— 
(A) an assurance that the State will use 
the allotment only for the purposes specified in 
subsection (d)(1); 
(B) a description of how the State will 
award subgrants to local educational agencies 
under such subsection; 
(C) a description of how the State will dis-
seminate, in a timely manner, information re-
garding the subgrants and the application proc-
ess for such subgrants to local educational 
agencies; and 
(D) the ratios, as of the date of applica-
tion, of students to school-based mental health