Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act
This bill directs the Department of Education to award formula grants to state educational agencies and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies to increase access to school-based, mental-health-services providers at high-need public elementary and secondary schools.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6214 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6214
To effectively staff the high-need public elementary schools and
secondary schools of the United States with school-based mental health
services providers.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 9, 2021
Ms. Clark of Massachusetts (for herself, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Lieu, Ms.
Sanchez, and Ms. Underwood) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To effectively staff the high-need public elementary schools and
secondary schools of the United States with school-based mental health
services providers.
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 ``Elementary and Secondary School
Counseling Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) One in 5 children ages 13 through 18 has, or will have,
a serious mental illness.
(2) 11 percent of youth have a mood disorder, 10 percent of
youth have a behavior or conduct disorder, and 8 percent of
youth have an anxiety disorder.
(3) 50 percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness
begin by age 14. 37 percent of students with a mental health
condition age 14 and older drop out of school, which is the
highest school dropout rate of any disability group.
(4) 70 percent of youth in State and local juvenile systems
have a mental illness.
(5) Youth with access to mental health services in school-
based health centers are 10 times more likely to seek care for
mental health or substance abuse than youth without access.
(6) The leading counseling, guidance, and mental health
organizations, including the American School Counselor
Association, the National Association of School Psychologists,
the National Association of Social Workers, and the School
Social Work Association of America, recommend that schools
maintain--
(A) a maximum student to school counselor ratio of
250 to 1;
(B) a maximum student to school psychologist ratio
of 500 to 1; and
(C) a maximum student to school social worker ratio
of 250 to 1.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) ESEA definitions.--The terms ``elementary school'',
``local educational agency'', ``secondary school'', ``State'',
and ``State educational agency'' have the meanings given the
terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) High-need school.--The term ``high-need school'' has
the meaning given the term in section 2211(b) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6631(b)).
(3) School-based mental health services provider.--The term
``school-based mental health services provider'' includes a
State-licensed or State certified school counselor, school
psychologist, school social worker, community-based mental
health provider organization, or other State licensed or
certified mental health professional qualified under State law
to provide mental health services to children and adolescents.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
SEC. 4. GRANTS AND SUBGRANTS.
(a) Program Authorized.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award formula grants,
from allotments made under subsection (b), to State educational
agencies to enable the State educational agencies to award
subgrants to local educational agencies in order to increase
access to school-based mental health services providers at
high-need schools served by the local educational agencies.
(2) Duration.--A grant awarded under this section shall be
for a 5-year period and may be renewed for additional 5-year
periods upon a showing of adequate progress on meeting the
goals of the grant, as determined by the Secretary.
(b) Formula Grants.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Formula.--From the total amount made available
under section 5 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall
allot to each such State that submits a complete
application an amount that bears the same relationship
to such total amount as the amount received under part
A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) by such State for
such fiscal year bears to the amount received under
such part for such fiscal year by all States.
(B) Small state minimum.--No State receiving an
allotment under this paragraph shall receive less than
one-half of 1 percent of the total amount allotted
under this paragraph.
(2) Matching requirements.--In order to receive an
allotment under this paragraph, a State shall agree to provide
matching funds, in an amount equal to 20 percent of the amount
of the allotment, toward the costs of the activities carried
out under the grant.
(c) Application.--A State educational agency desiring a grant under
this section shall submit an application at such time, in such manner,
and containing such information as the Secretary may require. Each
application shall include, at a minimum--
(1) a description of how the State educational agency will
award subgrants to local educational agencies under subsection
(d);
(2) a description of how the State educational agency will
disseminate, in a timely manner, information regarding the
subgrants and the application process for such subgrants to
local educational agencies; and
(3) the ratios, as of the date of application, of students
to school-based mental health services providers in each public
elementary school and secondary school in the State, in the
aggregate and disaggregated to include--
(A) the ratios of students to school counselors,
school psychologists, and school social workers; and
(B) as applicable, the ratios of students to other
school-based mental health services providers not
described in subparagraph (A), in the aggregate and
disaggregated by type of provider.
(d) Subgrants.--
(1) In general.--A State educational agency receiving a
grant under this section shall use grant funds to award
subgrants, on a competitive basis, to local educational
agencies in the State, to enable the local educational agencies
to--
(A) employ school-based mental health services
providers or contract with community mental health
centers to work at high-need schools served by the
local educational agency; and
(B) work toward effectively staffing the high-need
schools of the State with school-based mental health
services providers, including by meeting the
recommended maximum ratios of--
(i) 250 students per school counselor;
(ii) 500 students per school psychologist;
and
(iii) 250 students per school social
worker.
(2) Priority.--In awarding subgrants under this subsection,
the State shall give priority to local educational agencies
that serve a significant number of high-need schools.
(3) Application.--A local educational agency desiring a
subgrant under this subsection shall submit an application to
the State educational agency at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the State educational agency may
require, including information on how the local educational
agency will prioritize assisting high-need schools with the
largest numbers or percentages of students from low-income
families.
(e) Grant and Subgrant Requirements.--
(1) Supplement, not supplant.--Amounts provided under a
grant or subgrant under this section shall supplement, and not
supplant, any other funds available to a State educational
agency or local educational agency for school-based mental
health services.
(2) Combining funds allowed.--A State educational agency
receiving a grant under this section may combine funds made
available under this section with State or local funds to carry
out the activities described in subsection (d)(1).
(f) Reports.--
(1) Local educational agencies.--A local educational agency
that receives a subgrant under this section shall submit a
report to the State on the activities carried out with the
subgrant funds.
(2) State.--A State educational agency receiving a grant
under this section shall annually prepare and submit a report
to the Secretary that--
(A) evaluates the progress made in achieving the
purposes of the grant;
(B) includes the most recent student to provider
ratios, in the aggregate and disaggregated as provided
in subsection (c)(3), for public elementary schools and
secondary schools in the State that were assisted under
the grant under this section; and
(C) describes any other resources needed to meet
the required recommended maximum student to school-
based mental health services provider ratios.
(3) Public availability.--The Secretary shall make all
reports submitted under this subsection available to the
public, including through the website of the Department.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
In order to provide school-based mental health services providers
in high-need schools in the States, there are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act--
(1) $5,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; and
(2) such sums as may be necessary for each succeeding
fiscal year.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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