No official summary available for this bill.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3525 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3525
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to maintain a
peer-to-peer support line to provide emotional support, information,
brief intervention, and mental health resources to youth who are
experiencing stress or who are at risk of, or affected by, mental
health disorders, and to establish a grant program for local
educational agencies to employ school-based mental health coordinators.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 14, 2023
Mr. Casey (for himself and Mr. Brown) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to maintain a
peer-to-peer support line to provide emotional support, information,
brief intervention, and mental health resources to youth who are
experiencing stress or who are at risk of, or affected by, mental
health disorders, and to establish a grant program for local
educational agencies to employ school-based mental health coordinators.
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 All Students Act''.
SEC. 2. YOUTH PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT LINE.
Title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa et seq.)
is amended by inserting after section 520E-4 the following:
``SEC. 520E-5. YOUTH PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT LINE.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Assistant
Secretary, shall maintain, directly or by grant or contract, a national
peer-to-peer support line, administered through the 988 Suicide and
Crisis Lifeline maintained pursuant to section 520E-3(b)(2), to provide
emotional support, information, brief intervention, and mental health
resources to youth who are experiencing stress or are at risk of, or
affected by, mental health disorders.
``(b) Requirements for Peer-to-Peer Support Line.--The peer-to-peer
support line under subsection (a) shall--
``(1) be a real-time line that is available 24 hours a day,
7 days a week, with adult staff responding to calls, texts, and
messages during the hours in which youth peers are not
available;
``(2) provide support through voice, text, and chat
functions;
``(3) be accessible directly through a phone line and web
interface that is specific to the peer-to-peer support line, as
well as through referrals from the 988 Suicide and Crisis
Lifeline; and
``(4) be staffed by trained youth peers, supervised by
licensed health care professionals or licensed mental health
professionals who are trained in--
``(A) youth mental health disorder prevention and
intervention;
``(B) providing support to help school-age youth
and young adults cope with stress, including stress
related to academics, athletics, financial or health
challenges, interpersonal relationships, social
isolation, social media, and bullying or cyberbullying;
``(C) providing culturally and linguistically
appropriate support; and
``(D) providing mental health peer support services
to meet the specific needs of youth, including the
needs of--
``(i) underserved populations;
``(ii) people with disabilities; and
``(iii) foster youth and former foster
youth.
``(c) Additional Requirements.--In maintaining the peer-to-peer
support line under subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
``(1) consult with the Domestic Violence Hotline to ensure
that youth are connected in real-time to the appropriate
specialized hotline service, when applicable;
``(2) conduct a public awareness campaign for the peer-to-
peer support line; and
``(3) consult with Federal departments and agencies to
increase awareness regarding the peer-to-peer support line.
``(d) Annual Report.--The Secretary shall submit an annual report
to Congress on the peer-to-peer support line under subsection (a) and
implementation of this section, including--
``(1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of activities
conducted or supported under subsection (a);
``(2) a directory of entities or organizations to which
staff maintaining the peer-to-peer support line funded under
this section may make referrals; and
``(3) such additional information as the Secretary
determines appropriate.
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary
for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029.''.
SEC. 3. SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATORS GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Local Educational Agency Definition.--In this section the term
``local educational agency'' has the meaning given that term in section
8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7801).
(b) Program Authorized.--The Secretary of Education, in
consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall
award grants, on a competitive basis, to local educational agencies to
enable local educational agencies to recruit and employ mental health
coordinators who are not licensed to provide mental health counseling
or psychological services, who can support the work of licensed mental
health professionals, in accordance with subsection (d).
(c) Application; Priority.--
(1) Application.--A local educational agency desiring a
grant under this section shall submit an application to the
Secretary of Education at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary of Education may
reasonably require.
(2) Priority.--In selecting local educational agencies for
an award under this section, the Secretary of Education shall
give priority to local educational agencies that serve schools
located in high-poverty communities.
(d) Authorized Activities.--A local educational agency receiving a
grant under this section shall use grant funds to recruit and employ
mental health coordinators who are not licensed to provide mental
health counseling or psychological services, who can partner with
licensed mental health professionals to extend mental health support to
all students. Those mental health coordinators shall carry out the
following activities at schools served by the local educational agency:
(1) Providing information about school and community-based
wellness and mental health resources to students, parents,
faculty, and staff.
(2) Working with licensed mental health professionals to
identify and regularly meet with students who are experiencing
stress, social isolation, family instability, homelessness, or
other adverse childhood experiences.
(3) Supporting students in strengthening their social
support network and increasing their access to, and engagement
in, positive activities.
(4) Establishing relationships with community-based mental
health providers, including child and adolescent therapists,
family therapists, neuropsychologists, and child and adolescent
psychiatrists, and facilitating the transition from school- to
community-based care as needed.
(5) Providing information about community-based resources
available to support basic needs, such as housing and
nutrition.
(e) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall disseminate
information regarding the grant program under subsection (b) to local
educational agencies, including those serving high-poverty communities,
and provide technical assistance to local educational agencies
regarding an application under subsection (c)(1).
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary
for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line