Title: Student Support Act
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Student Support Act
This bill requires the Department of Education to make matching grants to states for allocation to local educational agencies (LEAs) so that additional school-based mental health and student service providers may be hired, thereby reducing the student-to-provider ratios in elementary and secondary schools to specified minimum levels recommended by the leading counseling, guidance, and mental health organizations.
Grants to states and state allocations to LEAs must be made pursuant to specified formulas that take into account a state's and school district's share of children in poverty.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4525 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4525

 To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct 
 the Secretary of Education to make grants to States for assistance in 
   hiring additional school-based mental health and student service 
                               providers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 26, 2019

Ms. Lee of California (for herself, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Hastings, 
  Mr. Ryan, and Ms. Wexton) introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct 
 the Secretary of Education to make grants to States for assistance in 
   hiring additional school-based mental health and student service 
                               providers.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Student Support Act''.

SEC. 2. SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH AND STUDENT SERVICE PROVIDERS.

    (a) In General.--Part A of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

 ``Subpart 3--School-Based Mental Health and Student Service Providers

``SEC. 4131. FINDINGS.

    ``The Congress finds the following:
            ``(1) The Surgeon General of the Public Health Service has 
        found that 1 in 5 children has a diagnosable mental disorder 
        and 1 in 10 children and adolescents suffer from mental illness 
        severe enough to cause some level of impairment. However, 75 to 
        80 percent of children in need of mental health services do not 
        receive needed treatment. The short- and long-term consequences 
        of untreated childhood mental disorders are costly, in both 
        human and fiscal terms.
            ``(2) Thirty-seven percent of students with a mental health 
        condition age 14 and older drop out of school--the highest 
        dropout rate of any disability group.
            ``(3) Fifty percent of all lifetimes cases of mental 
        illness begin by the age of 14 and 75 percent by age 24.
            ``(4) In June 2010, the American Academy of Pediatrics 
        called for all pediatricians to screen children and adolescents 
        for mental illness and substance use.
            ``(5) Just over half (50.6 percent) of children with a 
        mental health condition aged 8-15 received mental health 
        services in the previous year.
            ``(6) African Americans and Hispanic Americans each use 
        mental health services at about one-half the rate of Caucasian 
        Americans and Asian Americans at about one-third the rate.
            ``(7) School counselors, school social workers, school 
        psychologists, other qualified psychologists, and child and 
        adolescent psychiatrists are critically needed to help these 
        children and to provide a variety of crucial support services 
        as 70-80 percent of children and adolescents who receive mental 
        health services access these services in school settings.
            ``(8) Across the United States, there are insufficient 
        resources for school-based counseling professionals, and often 
        students do not get the help they need. The 2017 national 
        average ratio of students to school counselors in elementary 
        and secondary schools was 482 to 1.
            ``(9) United States public schools need more mental health 
        professionals because participation in the use of school-based 
        mental health centers (SBHC) was positively associated with 
        increases in grade point average (GPA) and attendance.
            ``(10) According to the leading counseling, guidance, and 
        mental health organizations, including the American School 
        Counselor Association, the National Association of Social 
        Psychologists, the National Association of Social Workers, and 
        the School Social Work Association of America, the maximum 
        recommended ratio of--
                    ``(A) students to school counselors is 250 to 1;
                    ``(B) students to school psychologists is 500 to 
                700 to 1; and
                    ``(C) students to school social workers is 250 to 
                1.
            ``(11) A recent study revealed a national average ratio of 
        1,653 students per school psychologist, despite the 1:500-700 
        recommendation from the National Association of Social 
        Psychologists. This deficit is further compounded by studies 
        predicting a 2-4 percent shortage of school psychologists over 
        the next 10 years due to retirement. In some schools, there are 
        no school-based mental health and student service providers 
        available to assist students in times of crisis, or at any 
        other time.
            ``(12) Counselor-to-student ratios in 35 States exceed 
        1:400 despite recommendations from the American School 
        Counselor Association for a 1:250 ratio. Only three States--
        Vermont, Wyoming & New Hampshire--meet the recommended ratio. 
        This shortage occurs during a time when the National Center on 
        Education Statistics forecasts that the Nation's number of 
        public school students (Pre-K to 12th) will grow by 7 percent 
        between 2011 and 2022, particularly in States that already 
        spend the least money per student.
            ``(13) Model programs using school-based mental health and 
        student service providers have positive effects on emotional, 
        behavioral and academic outcomes, such as reductions in 
        aggressive and disruptive behavior, referrals to the 
        principal's office, the use of weapons, force, or threats, and 
        increased students' feelings of safety. Studies also find that 
        mental health programs can have a range of positive outcomes 
        across all grade levels, including gains in achievement test 
        scores, grade point averages, course credit completion, as well 
        as decreases in absences and substance use.

``SEC. 4132. PURPOSES.

    ``The purposes of this subpart are to assist States and local 
educational agencies in hiring additional school-based mental health 
providers, including additional school counselors, school 
psychologists, other qualified psychologists, child and adolescent 
psychiatrists, and school social workers to achieve each of the 
following:
            ``(1) To reduce the ratios of school-based mental health 
        and student service providers to students in elementary and 
        secondary schools in the United States to the following minimum 
        ratios recommended by the leading counseling, guidance, and 
        mental health organizations, including the American School 
        Counselor Association, the National Association of Social 
        Psychologists, the National Association of Social Workers, and 
        the School Social Work Association of America:
                    ``(A) One school counselor for every 250 students.
                    ``(B) One school psychologist for every 500 to 700 
                students.
                    ``(C) One school social worker for every 250 
                students.
            ``(2) To provide evidence-based school mental health and 
        student services through a whole school and interdisciplinary 
        approach.
            ``(3) To remove emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial 
        barriers to learning so as to enhance students' classroom 
        preparedness, overall school performance, decrease rates of 
        absenteeism, and ability to problem solve and set goals.
            ``(4) To support school staff and teachers in improving 
        classroom management, conducting behavioral interventions to 
        improve school discipline, and developing the awareness and 
        skills to identify the need for mental health services.
            ``(5) To support parental involvement in improving the 
        school behavior and academic success of their children.
            ``(6) To improve the overall mental, behavioral, social, 
        and psychology assessment and trajectory of each student who 
        seeks mental health services.
            ``(7) To ensure each student feels comfortable and has all 
        the resources they need to continue short and/or long-term 
        mental health treatment.

``SEC. 4133. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this subpart, the following definitions apply:
            ``(1) Child.--The term `child' means an individual who is 
        not less than 5 years old and not more than 17 years old.
            ``(2) Child and adolescent psychiatrist.--The term `child 
        and adolescent psychiatrist' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 5421(e).
            ``(3) Child in poverty.--The term `child in poverty' means 
        a child from a family with an income below the poverty line.
            ``(4) Mental health and student service provider.--The term 
        `mental health and student service provider' means a qualified 
        individual who provides mental health and student services, 
        including any individual who is a qualified school counselor, a 
        qualified school psychologist or any other qualified 
        psychologist, a child or adolescent psychiatrist, or a 
        qualified school social worker.
            ``(5) Mental health and student services.--The term `mental 
        health and student services' includes direct, individual, and 
        group services provided to students, parents, and school 
        personnel by mental health and student service providers, and 
        the coordination of prevention strategies in schools or 
        community-based programs.
            ``(6) Other qualified psychologist.--The term `other 
        qualified psychologist' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 5421(e).
            ``(7) Poverty line.--The term `poverty line' means the 
        poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and 
        Budget, and revised annually in accordance with section 673(2) 
        of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2))) 
        applicable to a family of the size involved.
            ``(8) School counselor.--The term `school counselor' means 
        an individual who has documented competence in counseling 
        children and adolescents in a school setting and who--
                    ``(A) possesses State licensure or certification 
                granted by an independent professional regulatory 
                authority;
                    ``(B) possesses national certification in school 
                counseling or a specialty of counseling granted by an 
                independent professional organization; or
                    ``(C) holds a minimum of a master's degree in 
                school counseling from a program accredited by the 
                Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related 
                Educational Programs or the equivalent.
            ``(9) School psychologist.--The term `school psychologist' 
        means an individual who--
                    ``(A) possesses a minimum of 60 graduate semester 
                hours in school psychology from an institution of 
                higher education and has completed 1,200 clock hours in 
                a supervised school psychology internship, of which 600 
                hours shall be in a school setting;
                    ``(B) possesses State licensure or certification in 
                school psychology in the State in which the individual 
                works; or
                    ``(C) possesses national certification by the 
                National School Psychology Certification Board.
            ``(10) School social worker.--The term `school social 
        worker' means an individual who--
                    ``(A) holds a master's degree in social work from a 
                program accredited by the Council on Social Work 
                Education;
                    ``(B) is licensed or certified by the State in 
                which services are provided; or
                    ``(C) possesses a national credential or national 
                certification as a school social work specialist 
                granted by an independent professional organization.
            ``(11) State.--The term `State' means each of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico.

``SEC. 4134. SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH AND STUDENT SERVICE PROVIDER 
              GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--In accordance with this subpart, the Secretary 
shall make grants to eligible States to assist local educational 
agencies in those States in hiring additional school-based mental 
health and student service providers.
    ``(b) Allocation of Funds.--From the total amount appropriated for 
a fiscal year to carry out this subpart, the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) make available 1 percent of such amount to the 
        Secretary of the Interior (on behalf of the Bureau of Indian 
        Affairs) and the outlying areas for activities that carry out 
        the purposes of this subpart; and
            ``(2) make available in the form of grants to each eligible 
        State an amount equal to the sum of--
                    ``(A) an amount that bears the same relationship to 
                50 percent of such total amount as the number of 
                children in poverty who reside in the State bears to 
                the number of such children in all States; and
                    ``(B) an amount that bears the same relationship to 
                50 percent of such total amount as the number of 
                children enrolled in public and private nonprofit 
                elementary schools and secondary schools in the State 
                bears to the number of children enrolled in all such 
                schools in all States.
    ``(c) Minimum Grant.--Notwithstanding subsection (b), no grant 
under this section shall be for an amount less than $1,000,000.
    ``(d) Reallocation.--The Secretary shall reallocate to States that 
have received approval under subsection (e)(2) any funds allocated 
under subsection (b) to a State that fails to submit an application 
that is approved by the Secretary.
    ``(e) Application by State.--
            ``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this subpart, a State shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Approval.--The Secretary may not approve an 
        application under this subsection unless the State submitting 
        the application--
                    ``(A) presents a plan, which the Secretary 
                considers to be reasonable, under which the State will 
                make grants, in accordance with the purposes of this 
                subpart, to local educational agencies to fund the 
                hiring of additional school counselors, school 
                psychologists, other qualified psychologists, child and 
                adolescent psychiatrists, and school social workers; 
                and
                    ``(B) provides an assurance that the State will 
                provide the matching amount required under subsection 
                (g).
    ``(f) Use of Funds by State.--
            ``(1) In general.--In accordance with this subsection, the 
        total of the amounts made available to a State under this 
        section and the amounts of the non-Federal match required under 
        subsection (g) may only be used by a State to make grants to 
        local educational agencies to assist such agencies in hiring 
        additional school-based mental health and student service 
        providers.
            ``(2) Administrative costs.--In each fiscal year, a State 
        may use not more than 5 percent of the assistance made 
        available to it under this subpart for the administrative costs 
        of the State in carrying out the State's responsibilities under 
        this subpart.
            ``(3) Allocation of funds.--In making grants in accordance 
        with this subsection, the State shall allocate from the total 
        described in paragraph (1) to each local educational agency an 
        amount equal to the sum of--
                    ``(A) an amount that bears the same relationship to 
                50 percent of such total as the number of children in 
                poverty who reside in the school district served by the 
                local educational agency bears to the number of such 
                children who reside in all the school districts in the 
                State; and
                    ``(B) an amount that bears the same relationship to 
                50 percent of such total as the number of children 
                enrolled in public and private nonprofit elementary 
                schools and secondary schools in the school district 
                served by the local educational agency bears to the 
                number of children enrolled in all such schools in the 
                State.
            ``(4) Minimum grant.--Notwithstanding paragraph (3), no 
        grant made by a State in accordance with this subsection shall 
        be for an amount less than $50,000.
            ``(5) Source of data.--For purposes of paragraph (3), the 
        State shall use data from the most recent fiscal year for which 
        satisfactory data are available, except that the State may 
        adjust such data, or use alternative child poverty data, if the 
        State demonstrates to the Secretary's satisfaction that such 
        adjusted or alternative data more accurately reflect the 
        relative incidence of children who are living in poverty and 
        who reside in the school districts in the State.
            ``(6) Application by local educational agencies.--A State 
        may require that, in order to be eligible for a grant made by 
        the State in accordance with this subsection, a local 
        educational agency shall submit an application to the State at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the State may require.
    ``(g) Matching Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--As a condition of receiving a grant 
        under this section, the Secretary shall require that a State 
        provide from non-Federal sources an amount equal to the amount 
        of the grant.
            ``(2) Local contribution.--In making grants to local 
        educational agencies in accordance with this subsection, a 
        State may require that a local educational agency match a 
        portion of the amount of the grant made to the agency.
            ``(3) Form.--The non-Federal share required by this 
        subsection may be provided in cash or in kind, fairly 
        evaluated, and may include facilities, equipment, or services.
    ``(h) Funds To Be Supplementary.--Assistance made available under 
this subpart shall be used to supplement, and may not supplant, 
Federal, State, or local funds used for employing school-based mental 
health and student service providers.
    ``(i) Data Collection and Report.--
            ``(1) In general.--For each fiscal year for which it 
        receives assistance under this subpart, a State shall collect 
        data describing how the assistance is used.
            ``(2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after assistance is 
        made available to a State under this subpart, the State shall 
        transmit to the Secretary a report on the data described in 
        paragraph (1), including information with respect to each local 
        educational agency to which the State made a grant with 
        assistance made available under this subpart--
                    ``(A) the number of school counselors, school 
                psychologists, other qualified psychologists, child and 
                adolescent psychiatrists, and school social workers 
                employed by local educational agency; and
                    ``(B) the ratio of students to school counselors, 
                the ratio of students to school psychologists or other 
                qualified psychologists, the ratio of students to child 
                and adolescent psychiatrists, and the ratio of students 
                to school social workers.
            ``(3) Source of funds.--A State may use a portion of the 
        assistance permitted to be used for administrative costs to 
        carry out its responsibilities under this subsection.
            ``(4) Publication.--The Secretary shall make data received 
        under this subsection publicly available on an annual basis.

``SEC. 4135. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subpart 
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents for the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 4121 the following:

  ``subpart 3--school-based mental health and student service providers

``Sec. 4131. Findings.
``Sec. 4132. Purposes.
``Sec. 4133. Definitions.
``Sec. 4134. School-based mental health and student service provider 
                            grant program.
``Sec. 4135. Authorization of appropriations.''.
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