Supporting All Students Act

Bill: 118-s-3525
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2023-12-14
Policy area: Health
Latest action: action_date: 2023-12-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3525 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 14, 2023 Mr. Casey (for himself and Mr. Brown ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to maintain a peer-to-peer support line to provide emotional support, information, brief intervention, and mental health resources to youth who are experiencing stress or who are at risk of, or affected by, mental health disorders, and to establish a grant program for local educational agencies to employ school-based mental health coordinators.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Supporting All Students Act . 2. Youth peer-to-peer support line Title V of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290aa et seq. ) is amended by inserting after section 520E–4 the following: 520E–5. Youth peer-to-peer support line (a) In general The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall maintain, directly or by grant or contract, a national peer-to-peer support line, administered through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline maintained pursuant to section 520E–3(b)(2), to provide emotional support, information, brief intervention, and mental health resources to youth who are experiencing stress or are at risk of, or affected by, mental health disorders. (b) Requirements for peer-to-Peer support line The peer-to-peer support line under subsection (a) shall— (1) be a real-time line that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with adult staff responding to calls, texts, and messages during the hours in which youth peers are not available; (2) provide support through voice, text, and chat functions; (3) be accessible directly through a phone line and web interface that is specific to the peer-to-peer support line, as well as through referrals from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; and (4) be staffed by trained youth peers, supervised by licensed health care professionals or licensed mental health professionals who are trained in— (A) youth mental health disorder prevention and intervention; (B) providing support to help school-age youth and young adults cope with stress, including stress related to academics, athletics, financial or health challenges, interpersonal relationships, social isolation, social media, and bullying or cyberbullying; (C) providing culturally and linguistically appropriate support; and (D) providing mental health peer support services to meet the specific needs of youth, including the needs of— (i) underserved populations; (ii) people with disabilities; and (iii) foster youth and former foster youth. (c) Additional requirements In maintaining the peer-to-peer support line under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1) consult with the Domestic Violence Hotline to ensure that youth are connected in real-time to the appropriate specialized hotline service, when applicable; (2) conduct a public awareness campaign for the peer-to-peer support line; and (3) consult with Federal departments and agencies to increase awareness regarding the peer-to-peer support line. (d) Annual report The Secretary shall submit an annual report to Congress on the peer-to-peer support line under subsection (a) and implementation of this section, including— (1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of activities conducted or supported under subsection (a); (2) a directory of entities or organizations to which staff maintaining the peer-to-peer support line funded under this section may make referrals; and (3) such additional information as the Secretary determines appropriate. (e) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029. . 3. School-based mental health coordinators grant program (a) Local educational agency definition In this section the term local educational agency has the meaning given that term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7801 ). (b) Program authorized The Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to local educational agencies to enable local educational agencies to recruit and employ mental health coordinators who are not licensed to provide mental health counseling or psychological services, who can support the work of licensed mental health professionals, in accordance with subsection (d). (c) Application; Priority (1) Application A local educational agency desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary of Education at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary of Education may reasonably require. (2) Priority In selecting local educational agencies for an award under this section, the Secretary of Education shall give priority to local educational agencies that serve schools located in high-poverty communities. (d) Authorized activities A local educational agency receiving a grant under this section shall use grant funds to recruit and employ mental health coordinators who are not licensed to provide mental health counseling or psychological services, who can partner with licensed mental health professionals to extend mental health support to all students. Those mental health coordinators shall carry out the following activities at schools served by the local educational agency: (1) Providing information about school and community-based wellness and mental health resources to students, parents, faculty, and staff. (2) Working with licensed mental health professionals to identify and regularly meet with students who are experiencing stress, social isolation, family instability, homelessness, or other adverse childhood experiences. (3) Supporting students in strengthening their social support network and increasing their access to, and engagement in, positive activities. (4) Establishing relationships with community-based mental health providers, including child and adolescent therapists, family therapists, neuropsychologists, and child and adolescent psychiatrists, and facilitating the transition from school- to community-based care as needed. (5) Providing information about community-based resources available to support basic needs, such as housing and nutrition. (e) Technical assistance The Secretary shall disseminate information regarding the grant program under subsection (b) to local educational agencies, including those serving high-poverty communities, and provide technical assistance to local educational agencies regarding an application under subsection (c)(1). (f) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029.