I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1649 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve 
mental health services for students, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 27, 2025 
Mr. ALLEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 to improve mental health services for students, 
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 ‘‘Expanding Student 
Access to Mental Health Services Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH. 
(a) STATE USE OF FUNDS.—Section 4104(b)(3)(B) 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7114(b)(3)(B)) is amended— 
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(1) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(v) improving the mental health serv-
ices available to students, which may in-
clude— 
‘‘(I) identifying and dissemi-
nating best practices for mental 
health first aid; 
‘‘(II) assisting in the establish-
ment or implementation of emergency 
planning, which may include emer-
gency response teams to address 
emergencies at schools; 
‘‘(III) establishing or identifying 
agreements with local health agencies, 
including nonprofit, public, and pri-
vate mental health agencies and insti-
tutions, to improve coordination of 
services; and 
‘‘(IV) telehealth services; and’’. 
(b) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY APPLICATIONS.— 
Section 4106(e)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7116(e)(1)) is amended— 
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(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as sub-
paragraph (F); and 
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (D), the 
following: 
‘‘(E) if applicable, how funds will be used 
for activities related to providing mental health 
services under section 4108; and’’. 
(c) ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVE USE 
OF TECHNOLOGY.—Section 4109 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7119) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (6), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) providing technology to improve mental 
health services.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘A local’’ and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A local’’; and 
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(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—The limitation described in 
paragraph (1) shall not apply to technology infra-
structure that is also used for mental health serv-
ices.’’. 
Æ 
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