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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9684 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9684
To establish a grant program to facilitate peer-to-peer mental health
support programs for secondary school students, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 19, 2024
Mr. Beyer (for himself and Mr. Curtis) 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 establish a grant program to facilitate peer-to-peer mental health
support programs for 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 ``Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Support
Act''.
SEC. 2. PEER-TO-PEER MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary''
means the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance
Use.
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a local educational agency;
(B) an Indian Tribe or a Tribal organization (as
such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
5304)) or a Tribal educational agency; and
(C) the Bureau of Indian Education.
(3) ESEA terms.--The terms ``evidence-based'', ``local
educational agency'', and ``secondary school'' have the
meanings given those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(4) Peer-to-peer mental health support program.--The term
``peer-to-peer mental health support program'' means an
evidence-based intervention that trains students to become peer
support specialists and provide mental health support to other
students.
(5) School-based mental health services provider.--The term
``school-based mental health services provider'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4102 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7112).
(b) Grant Program.--
(1) In general.--Beginning not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary, in
consultation with the Secretary of Education, as part of the
Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education)
program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration, or a similar program, shall award grants, on a
competitive basis, to eligible entities to carry out evidence-
based peer-to-peer mental health support programs for students
enrolled in secondary schools.
(2) Sufficient size and scope.--Grants awarded under this
section shall be of sufficient size and scope to allow
recipients to carry out the activities described in this
section.
(3) Duration.--A grant awarded under this section shall be
for a period of not more than 5 years.
(c) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the
Assistant Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Assistant Secretary may reasonably require.
(d) Use of Amounts.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity shall use grant amounts
provided under this section only to--
(A) implement new or operate existing evidence-
based peer-to-peer mental health support programs that
meet the requirements of paragraph (2) in 1 or more
secondary schools served by the eligible entity; or
(B) provide training to students, adult
supervisors, and school-based mental health services
providers in implementing the evidence-based peer-to-
peer mental health support programs that meet the
requirements of paragraph (2).
(2) Program requirements.--Each peer-to-peer mental health
support program funded by a grant under this section shall
include, at a minimum, the following components:
(A) Training.--Peer support specialists and
participating school staff overseeing the peer-to-peer
mental health support program shall receive training
in--
(i) empathic listening;
(ii) enhancing protective mental health
factors;
(iii) recognizing and appropriately
responding to risk factors and warning signs of
mental health challenges, including suicidal
ideation and depression;
(iv) connecting students with professional
mental health services and recovery supports,
as necessary;
(v) recognizing and appropriately
responding to risk factors and warning signs
associated with mental health and substance use
challenges, including co-occurring challenges;
and
(vi) other areas included in the National
Model Standards for Peer Support Certification
of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration.
(B) Program oversight.--Each peer-to-peer mental
health support program shall--
(i) be overseen by a trained and certified
youth peer support supervisor; and
(ii) receive guidance from a school-based
mental health services provider.
(C) FERPA.--Any education record of a student
collected or maintained under this subsection shall
have the protections required for education records
under section 444 of the General Education Provisions
Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g).
(e) Relationship to Other Federal Programs.--An eligible entity
that receives a grant under this section may combine such grant funds
with other Federal funds to support the activities carried out under
this section.
(f) Priority; Amounts.--
(1) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Assistant Secretary shall give priority to applications
submitted by eligible entities that--
(A) propose to use grant amounts to establish new
peer-to-peer mental health support programs in a
majority of secondary schools served by such eligible
entity;
(B) propose to use grant amounts to establish a new
peer-to-peer mental health support program in 1 or more
secondary schools without such programs;
(C) propose to use grant amounts for peer-to-peer
mental health support programs that have a suicide
prevention component; or
(D) are located in areas that have high rates of
suicide or have experienced recent traumatic events.
(2) Grant amounts.--A grant awarded to an eligible entity
under this section may not exceed $250,000.
(g) Evaluation; Report.--
(1) Evaluation.--The Assistant Secretary shall carry out an
evaluation to measure the efficacy of the program under this
section. The evaluation shall measure--
(A) student participation in the peer-to-peer
mental health support program and include a demographic
analysis;
(B) the efficacy of the training provided to peer
support specialists and school staff in increasing
their knowledge of protective factors, risk factors,
and warning signs of mental health challenges; and
(C) the percentage of students participating in the
peer-to-peer mental health support program who report
improved mental health outcomes or are connected to
professional mental health services.
(2) Report.--The Assistant Secretary shall prepare and
submit a report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and
Commerce and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of
the House of Representatives containing the results of the
evaluation conducted under paragraph (1).
(h) Technical Assistance.--The Assistant Secretary, in coordination
with the Secretary of Education, shall provide technical assistance to
eligible entities applying for and receiving grants under this section,
which shall include the development and dissemination of best practices
for evidence-based peer-to-peer mental health support programs.
(i) Rule of Construction.--Section 4001 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7101) (not including the
exception under subsection (a)(2)(B)(i) of such section) shall apply to
an entity receiving a grant under this section in the same manner as
such section applies to an entity receiving funding under title IV of
such Act.
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2025 through 2029.
(2) Reservations.--From the total amount appropriated under
paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the Assistant Secretary shall
reserve--
(A) not more than 2 percent for awards to eligible
entities described in subsection (a)(2)(C);
(B) not less than 2 percent for technical
assistance and administration; and
(C) not more than 2 percent for evaluation, in
accordance with subsection (g).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
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.
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.
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