I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4120 
To address behavioral health and well-being among education professionals 
and other school staff. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 25, 2025 
Ms. BONAMICI (for herself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mrs. DINGELL, and Mr. 
BACON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To address behavioral health and well-being among education 
professionals and other school staff. 
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 ‘‘Supporting the Mental 
Health of Educators and Staff Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
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(referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’), in consulta-
tion with the Secretary of Education, shall identify and 
disseminate evidence-based or evidence-informed best 
practices for— 
(1) preventing suicide and improving mental 
health and resiliency among education professionals 
and other school staff; and 
(2) training education professionals and other 
school staff in appropriate strategies to support, 
maintain, and promote their mental health. 
SEC. 3. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS INITIATIVE ENCOUR-
AGING USE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUB-
STANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES BY EDU-
CATION 
PROFESSIONALS 
AND 
OTHER 
SCHOOL STAFF. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with relevant stakeholders, including medical professional 
associations, shall establish a national evidence-based or 
evidence-informed education and awareness initiative— 
(1) to encourage education professionals and 
other school staff to seek support and care for their 
mental health or substance use concerns, to help 
such professionals and staff identify factors associ-
ated with risks for suicide and mental health condi-
tions, and to help such professionals and staff learn 
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how best to respond to such risks, with the goal of 
preventing suicide, mental health conditions, and 
substance use disorders; and 
(2) to address stigma associated with seeking 
mental health and substance use disorder services. 
(b) REPORTING.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide 
to the Congress an update on the activities and outcomes 
of the initiative under subsection (a), including a descrip-
tion of quantitative and qualitative metrics used to evalu-
ate such activities and outcomes. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2028. 
SEC. 4. PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG 
THE EDUCATION WORKFORCE. 
Subpart 1 of part E of title VII of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294n et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the second section 764 (42 
U.S.C. 294s, as added by section 4 of Public Law 
117–105) as section 764A; and 
(2) by inserting after such section 764A, as so 
redesignated, the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 764B. PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH 
AMONG THE EDUCATION WORKFORCE. 
‘‘(a) PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH 
AMONG
EDUCATION
PROFESSIONALS
AND
OTHER 
SCHOOL STAFF.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
grants or contracts to eligible entities to establish or 
enhance evidence-based or evidence-informed pro-
grams dedicated to improving mental health and re-
siliency for education professionals and other school 
staff. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant or contract under this subsection, an entity 
shall be a State educational agency, a local edu-
cational agency, an institution of higher education, 
or a consortia thereof. 
‘‘(3) USE OF FUNDS.—An recipient of a grant 
or contract under this subsection shall use funds re-
ceived through the grant or contract to implement a 
new program or enhance an existing program to pro-
mote mental health among education professionals 
and other school staff, which may include— 
‘‘(A) improving awareness among edu-
cation professionals and other school staff 
about risk factors for, and signs of, suicide and 
mental health or substance use disorders, in ac-
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cordance with evidence-based or evidence-in-
formed practices; 
‘‘(B) establishing new, or enhancing exist-
ing, evidence-based or evidence-informed pro-
grams for preventing suicide and improving 
mental health and resiliency among education 
professionals and other school staff; 
‘‘(C) establishing new, or enhancing exist-
ing, peer-support programs among education 
professionals and other school staff; or 
‘‘(D) providing mental health care, follow- 
up services and care by a licensed or certified 
mental health professional (including by means 
of telehealth), or a referral for such care or 
services by a licensed or certified mental health 
professional, as appropriate. 
‘‘(4) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants and con-
tracts under this subsection, the Secretary shall give 
priority to eligible entities in areas with a high per-
centage of schools receiving financial assistance 
under part A of title I of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(b) TRAINING GRANTS.—The Secretary may estab-
lish a program to award grants to institutions of higher 
education, State educational agencies, local educational 
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agencies, State or local governments, Indian Tribes or 
Tribal organizations, or other appropriate public or pri-
vate nonprofit entities (or consortia of entities, including 
entities promoting multidisciplinary approaches) to sup-
port the inclusion in educator preparation programs (in-
cluding administrator preparation programs), and in 
training, continuing education, or professional develop-
ment programs for education professionals and other 
school staff, of evidence-based or evidence-informed strate-
gies— 
‘‘(1) to address mental and substance use dis-
orders; and 
‘‘(2) to improve mental health and resiliency 
among education professionals and other school 
staff. 
‘‘(c) GRANT TERMS.—A grant or contract awarded 
under subsection (a) or (b) shall be for a period of 3 years. 
‘‘(d) APPLICATION SUBMISSION.—An entity seeking 
a grant or contract under subsection (a) or (b) shall sub-
mit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
manner, and accompanied by such information as the Sec-
retary may require. 
‘‘(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—An entity awarded a grant 
or contract under subsection (a) or (b) shall submit to the 
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Secretary an annual report evaluating the activities sup-
ported by the grant or contract. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 
has the meaning given to such term in section 101 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(2) The terms ‘local educational agency’ and 
‘State educational agency’ have the meanings given 
to such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro-
priated $35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 
2028.’’. 
SEC. 5. REVIEW WITH RESPECT TO EDUCATION WORK-
FORCE MENTAL HEALTH AND RESILIENCY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consulta-
tion with relevant stakeholders, shall— 
(1) conduct a review on improving— 
(A) the mental health of education profes-
sionals and other school staff; and 
(B) the outcomes of programs authorized 
under this Act; and 
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(2) submit a report to the Congress on the re-
sults of such review. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—The review under subsection 
(a) may include— 
(1) assessing the prevalence and severity of 
mental health conditions among education profes-
sionals and other school staff, and determining the 
factors that contribute to those mental health condi-
tions; 
(2) assessing barriers to seeking and accessing 
mental health care for education professionals and 
other school staff, and actions taken by State edu-
cational agencies and local educational agencies, or 
other organizations, as appropriate, to address such 
barriers; 
(3) determining the effects of the COVID–19 
public health emergency on the mental health of 
education professionals and other school staff and 
lessons learned for future public health emergencies; 
(4) assessing programs and policies that pro-
mote mental health and resiliency among education 
professionals and other school staff, including pro-
grams and policies to strengthen mental health and 
resiliency among education professionals and other 
school staff; and 
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(5) assessing the efficacy of training programs 
for education professionals and other school staff 
that promote resiliency and improve mental health. 
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The review under sub-
section (a), as appropriate, shall identify best practices re-
lated to, and make recommendations to address— 
(1) improving mental health and resiliency 
among education professionals and other school 
staff; 
(2) removing barriers to mental health care for 
education professionals and other school staff; and 
(3) strategies to promote resiliency among edu-
cation professionals and other school staff in health 
care settings. 
SEC. 6. GAO REPORT. 
Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to the Congress a report on the extent to 
which Federal substance use disorder and mental health 
grant programs address the prevalence and severity of 
mental health conditions and substance use disorders 
among education professionals and other school staff. 
Such report shall— 
(1) include an analysis of available evidence and 
data related to such conditions and programs; and 
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