[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1689 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1689
To authorize the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, to award grants to eligible
entities to support the mental and behavioral health of elementary and
secondary school students, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 21, 2023
Ms. Spanberger (for herself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of
the committee concerned
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A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, to award grants to eligible
entities to support the mental and behavioral health of elementary and
secondary school students, 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 ``Connecting Students with Mental
Health Services Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS TO SUPPORT MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OF ELEMENTARY
AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Education, in coordination with
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall carry out a program
consisting of awarding grants to eligible entities to support the
mental and behavioral health of students in elementary schools and
secondary schools, especially such students who reside in rural areas
or lack access to mental and behavioral health services.
(b) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under this
section shall use the grant for resources to support the mental and
behavioral health of students in elementary schools and secondary
schools, which may include--
(1) purchasing or upgrading equipment (which may include
physical equipment and technology) to implement a telehealth
program that includes mental and behavioral health care;
(2) ensuring sufficient space and personnel to support such
a telehealth program in one or more schools; and
(3) hiring, or providing additional compensation for, staff
to help administer such a telehealth program.
(c) Application.--
(1) Submission.--To seek a grant under this section, an
eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary of
Education at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information and assurances as the Secretary may require.
(2) Contents.--Each such application shall include a plan--
(A) detailing the applicant's proposed telehealth
program that includes mental and behavioral health
care, to be supported through the plan; and
(B) providing assurances that any collection,
maintenance, or use of student information through such
telehealth program will be in accordance with
applicable privacy laws.
(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary
of Education shall give priority to eligible entities that--
(1) submit an application in accordance with subsection
(c); and
(2) serve--
(A) high-poverty elementary schools and secondary
schools;
(B) rural elementary schools and secondary schools;
or
(C) elementary schools and secondary schools that
are located in a health professional shortage area
designated under section 332 of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e).
(e) Timing.--The Secretary of Education shall establish the program
required by subsection (a) not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act.
(f) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Funds made available under this
section shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal,
State, and local funds provided for activities funded under this
section.
(g) Report.--Not later than September 30, 2025, the Secretary of
Education and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting
jointly, shall submit to the Congress and make publicly available a
report including--
(1) analysis on the impact of the program under this
section (in a manner that does not include information that
would reveal personally identifiable information about an
individual student)--
(A) on the number of students in elementary schools
and secondary schools receiving health care (including
behavioral and mental health services) through a
telehealth program; and
(B) on the number of such students receiving
behavioral and mental health services through a
telehealth program; and
(2) recommendations for the reauthorization, expansion, and
improvement of the program under this section.
(h) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``community health care provider''--
(A) subject to subparagraph (B), includes a
university health care system; and
(B) excludes any provider that does not accept
payment under a State plan (or waiver of such plan)
under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1396 et seq.).
(2) The terms ``educational service agency'', ``elementary
school'', ``local educational agency'', and ``secondary
school'' have the meanings given to those terms in section 8101
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 7801).
(3) The term ``eligible entity'' means a partnership
between--
(A) a local educational agency or a consortium of
any such agencies; and
(B) a community health care provider or an
educational service agency.
(4) The term ``telehealth'' means the use of electronic
information and telecommunications technologies to support
long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional
health-related education, public health, and health
administration.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2024 through 2027.
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