# What This Bill Does: Mental Health Support in Schools

This bill creates a new federal grant program that gives money to school districts to build comprehensive mental health services for students in elementary and secondary schools. The Department of Education would award grants to selected school districts over a four-year period, with $20 million authorized for the program in 2022. Schools that receive grants would use the funding to hire mental health professionals like counselors and behavioral specialists, train teachers in mental health awareness, and create programs focused on students' emotional and social well-being alongside their academic education.

The bill prioritizes schools serving low-income communities and requires schools to implement evidence-based programs that teach students emotional skills, help them manage stress and trauma, and create safer, more supportive school environments. Schools would also need to monitor students for signs of abuse, neglect, homelessness, or food insecurity. Teachers and staff would receive training on trauma-informed practices, recognizing how difficult life experiences affect student behavior and learning. The program emphasizes moving away from purely punitive discipline approaches toward restorative practices that focus on repairing relationships and addressing root causes of behavior problems.

After the four-year pilot period ends, an independent research organization would evaluate whether the program actually improves students' mental health and academic outcomes. The evaluation would look at whether there are enough mental health professionals in schools and would break down results by race, ethnicity, gender, and other student characteristics to ensure the program benefits all students fairly. If the evaluation shows positive results, the program could be expanded to more school districts, and schools already participating could apply for additional funding to continue their work.

Comprehensive Mental Health in Schools Pilot Program Act of 2021

Trone, David J.

Comprehensive Mental Health in Schools Pilot Program Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Education to establish a pilot program to award grants to local educational agencies for establishing comprehensive mental and behavioral health services programs in elementary and secondary schools.