Expanding Student Access to Mental Health Services Act

Bill: 117-hr-787
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12]
Introduced: 2021-02-04
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding

Educational guidance

Emergency planning and evacuation

Health technology, devices, supplies

Mental health
Latest action: action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-02-04
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Expanding Student Access to Mental Health Services Act</b></p> <p>This bill authorizes state and local educational agencies to use Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants to improve mental health services available to students. Specifically, it allows funds to be used for identifying and disseminating best practices for mental health first aid, emergency planning, coordination of services, and telehealth services.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 787 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 4, 2021 Mr. Allen (for himself and Mr. Cline ) 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 improve mental health services for students, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Expanding Student Access to Mental Health Services Act . 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— (1) in clause (iii), by striking and at the end; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (v) improving the mental health services available to students, which may include— (I) identifying and disseminating best practices for mental health first aid; (II) assisting in the establishment or implementation of emergency planning, which may include emergency response teams to address emergencies at schools; (III) establishing or identifying agreements with local health agencies, including nonprofit, public, and private mental health agencies and institutions, to improve coordination of services; and (IV) telehealth services; and . (b) Local educational agency applications Section 4106(e)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7116(e)(1) ) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking and at the end; (2) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (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 period 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 (B) by adding at the end the following: (2) Exception The limitation described in paragraph (1) shall not apply to technology infrastructure that is also used for mental health services. .