# Health Minds for a Better Future Act

This bill creates a new task force focused on middle school mental health. The task force will be run jointly by the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, and its main job is to figure out what resources already exist to help parents and teachers spot and support middle school students who are struggling with mental health issues. Think of it as a fact-finding mission to map out what tools, services, and information are currently available—like online platforms, counseling services, and community mental health providers—that educators and parents can actually use.

The task force will have 12 members, including the two department secretaries, representatives from school administration and childhood mental health organizations, school counselors and educators from different regions of the country, and parents of middle school students. These members will serve without pay and will meet at least twice a year. The group won't have the power to force people to testify or hire additional staff, but they can hire temporary experts if needed to help with their work.

Once the task force completes its research, they'll write an annual report describing what mental health resources are out there for middle schoolers and share it with Congress. This report could help identify gaps in services or highlight which resources are working well. Essentially, this bill is trying to create a clearer picture of the mental health support landscape for middle school students so that schools and families know what options are available to them when a student needs help.

Health Minds for a Better Future Act

Kean, Thomas H.

Health Minds for a Better Future Act This bill establishes the Middle School Mental Health Task Force at the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. The task force must study and report on the resources that are available to secondary school educators and parents for helping students who are experiencing mental health issues.