Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act of 2023

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 744 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 744

      To address behavioral health and well-being among education 
                 professionals and other school staff.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 2, 2023

 Ms. Bonamici (for herself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Ms. Wild) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
    Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the 
 Workforce, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To address behavioral health and well-being among education 
                 professionals and other school staff.

    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 ``Supporting the Mental Health of 
Educators and Staff Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this Act as the 
``Secretary''), in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall 
identify and disseminate evidence-based or evidence-informed best 
practices for--
            (1) preventing suicide and improving mental health and 
        resiliency among education professionals and other school 
        staff; and
            (2) training education professionals and other school staff 
        in appropriate strategies to support, maintain, and promote 
        their mental health.

SEC. 3. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS INITIATIVE ENCOURAGING USE OF MENTAL 
              HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES BY EDUCATION 
              PROFESSIONALS AND OTHER SCHOOL STAFF.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with relevant 
stakeholders, including medical professional associations, shall 
establish a national evidence-based or evidence-informed education and 
awareness initiative--
            (1) to encourage education professionals and other school 
        staff to seek support and care for their mental health or 
        substance use concerns, to help such professionals and staff 
        identify factors associated with risks for suicide and mental 
        health conditions, and to help such professionals and staff 
        learn how best to respond to such risks, with the goal of 
        preventing suicide, mental health conditions, and substance use 
        disorders; and
            (2) to address stigma associated with seeking mental health 
        and substance use disorder services.
    (b) Reporting.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall provide to the Congress an update on 
the activities and outcomes of the initiative under subsection (a), 
including a description of quantitative and qualitative metrics used to 
evaluate such activities and outcomes.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2023 through 2025.

SEC. 4. PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE EDUCATION 
              WORKFORCE.

    Subpart I of part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 294n et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating the second section 764 (42 U.S.C. 
        294s, as added by section 4 of Public Law 117-105) as section 
        764A; and
            (2) by inserting after such section 764A, as so 
        redesignated, the following:

``SEC. 764B. PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE EDUCATION 
              WORKFORCE.

    ``(a) Programs To Promote Mental Health Among Education 
Professionals and Other School Staff.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants or 
        contracts to eligible entities to establish or enhance 
        evidence-based or evidence-informed programs dedicated to 
        improving mental health and resiliency for education 
        professionals and other school staff.
            ``(2) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant or 
        contract under this subsection, an entity shall be a State 
        educational agency, a local educational agency, an institution 
        of higher education, or a consortia thereof.
            ``(3) Use of funds.--An recipient of a grant or contract 
        under this subsection shall use funds received through the 
        grant or contract to implement a new program or enhance an 
        existing program to promote mental health among education 
        professionals and other school staff, which may include--
                    ``(A) improving awareness among education 
                professionals and other school staff about risk factors 
                for, and signs of, suicide and mental health or 
                substance use disorders, in accordance with evidence-
                based or evidence-informed practices;
                    ``(B) establishing new, or enhancing existing, 
                evidence-based or evidence-informed programs for 
                preventing suicide and improving mental health and 
                resiliency among education professionals and other 
                school staff;
                    ``(C) establishing new, or enhancing existing, 
                peer-support programs among education professionals and 
                other school staff; or
                    ``(D) providing mental health care, follow-up 
                services and care by a licensed or certified mental 
                health professional (including by means of telehealth), 
                or a referral for such care or services by a licensed 
                or certified mental health professional, as 
                appropriate.
            ``(4) Priority.--In awarding grants and contracts under 
        this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible 
        entities in areas with a high percentage of schools receiving 
        financial assistance under part A of title I of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
    ``(b) Training Grants.--The Secretary may establish a program to 
award grants to institutions of higher education, State educational 
agencies, local educational agencies, State or local governments, 
Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations, or other appropriate public or 
private nonprofit entities (or consortia of entities, including 
entities promoting multidisciplinary approaches) to support the 
inclusion in educator preparation programs (including administrator 
preparation programs), and in training, continuing education, or 
professional development programs for education professionals and other 
school staff, of evidence-based or evidence-informed strategies--
            ``(1) to address mental and substance use disorders; and
            ``(2) to improve mental health and resiliency among 
        education professionals and other school staff.
    ``(c) Grant Terms.--A grant or contract awarded under subsection 
(a) or (b) shall be for a period of 3 years.
    ``(d) Application Submission.--An entity seeking a grant or 
contract under subsection (a) or (b) shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
information as the Secretary may require.
    ``(e) Annual Report.--An entity awarded a grant or contract under 
subsection (a) or (b) shall submit to the Secretary an annual report 
evaluating the activities supported by the grant or contract.
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `institution of higher education' has the 
        meaning given to such term in section 101 of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965.
            ``(2) The terms `local educational agency' and `State 
        educational agency' have the meanings given to such terms in 
        section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $35,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2026.''.

SEC. 5. REVIEW WITH RESPECT TO EDUCATION WORKFORCE MENTAL HEALTH AND 
              RESILIENCY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, 
shall--
            (1) conduct a review on improving--
                    (A) the mental health of education professionals 
                and other school staff; and
                    (B) the outcomes of programs authorized under this 
                Act; and
            (2) submit a report to the Congress on the results of such 
        review.
    (b) Considerations.--The review under subsection (a) may include--
            (1) assessing the prevalence and severity of mental health 
        conditions among education professionals and other school 
        staff, and determining the factors that contribute to those 
        mental health conditions;
            (2) assessing barriers to seeking and accessing mental 
        health care for education professionals and other school staff, 
        and actions taken by State educational agencies and local 
        educational agencies, or other organizations, as appropriate, 
        to address such barriers;
            (3) determining the effects of the COVID-19 public health 
        emergency on the mental health of education professionals and 
        other school staff and lessons learned for future public health 
        emergencies;
            (4) assessing programs and policies that promote mental 
        health and resiliency among education professionals and other 
        school staff, including programs and policies to strengthen 
        mental health and resiliency among education professionals and 
        other school staff; and
            (5) assessing the efficacy of training programs for 
        education professionals and other school staff that promote 
        resiliency and improve mental health.
    (c) Recommendations.--The review under subsection (a), as 
appropriate, shall identify best practices related to, and make 
recommendations to address--
            (1) improving mental health and resiliency among education 
        professionals and other school staff;
            (2) removing barriers to mental health care for education 
        professionals and other school staff; and
            (3) strategies to promote resiliency among education 
        professionals and other school staff in health care settings.

SEC. 6. GAO REPORT.

    Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Congress a 
report on the extent to which Federal substance use disorder and mental 
health grant programs address the prevalence and severity of mental 
health conditions and substance use disorders among education 
professionals and other school staff. Such report shall--
            (1) include an analysis of available evidence and data 
        related to such conditions and programs; and
            (2) assess whether there are duplicative goals and 
        objectives among such grant programs.
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