Title: Strengthening Behavioral Health Supports for Schools Act of 2020
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Strengthening Behavioral Health Supports for Schools Act of 2020
This bill establishes the Center for School Behavioral Health Technical Assistance within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to provide technical assistance and training, collect data, support research, and disseminate best practices on evidence-based mental health and substance use disorder services in schools and school systems.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7859 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7859

 To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish in the Substance 
  Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration a Center for School 
    Behavioral Health Technical Assistance, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 30, 2020

  Mr. Cardenas (for himself, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. 
 Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Trone, and Mr. Joyce 
 of Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                  the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish in the Substance 
  Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration a Center for School 
    Behavioral Health Technical Assistance, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Strengthening Behavioral Health 
Supports for Schools Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. CENTER FOR SCHOOL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) is amended by 
inserting after section 520A of such Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-32) the 
following:

``SEC. 520B. CENTER FOR SCHOOL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    ``(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Administration a 
Center for School Behavioral Health Technical Assistance (in this 
section referred to as the `Center').
    ``(b) School Behavioral Health Program.--The Center shall carry out 
a program, to be known as the School Behavioral Health Program, to 
provide technical assistance and support to schools and school systems 
with respect to mental health and substance use disorders, including 
by--
            ``(1) providing direct technical assistance and training 
        on--
                    ``(A) the implementation of evidence-based, 
                culturally competent, and trauma-informed mental health 
                and substance use disorder services in schools and 
                school systems, including processes for suicide 
                prevention and trauma-informed care;
                    ``(B) the importance of evidence-based mental 
                health and substance use disorder services in schools 
                and linkages and referral to such services where direct 
                care is not possible; and
                    ``(C) translation services, interpretation, or 
                other such services for individuals in schools and 
                school systems with limited English speaking 
                proficiency; and
            ``(2) disseminating information related to evidence-based 
        models of school-based mental health and substance use disorder 
        services, including ways in which these models can be 
        implemented and incorporating student literacy on mental and 
        behavioral health.
    ``(c) Data Collection.--The Center shall collect data to support 
research with respect to prevention and treatment for mental health and 
substance use disorders in schools and school systems.
    ``(d) Best Practices.--The Center shall annually issue evidence-
based best practices with respect to mental health and substance use 
disorders for use by schools and school systems.
    ``(e) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Center shall 
coordinate with--
            ``(1) the Department of Education, the Department of 
        Justice, and other agencies within the Department of Health and 
        Human Services, as appropriate;
            ``(2) the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative under 
        section 582; and
            ``(3) other programs of the Administration that disseminate 
        and implement evidence-based practices for the continuum of 
        prevention and treatment for mental health and substance use 
        disorders.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2021 through 2025.''.
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