Federal grants would support school staff mental health programs

The health secretary would identify and share proven or promising practices. The practices would focus on suicide prevention, mental health, and resilience among education professionals and other school staff, and on training them to support their own mental health. The secretary would consult the education secretary. The secretary would identify and share the practices within two years after enactment.

The health secretary would award grants or contracts for mental health programs and could offer training grants. Program grants would be available to state and local education agencies, colleges, and their groups. Possible training grants could go to a broader range of public and private nonprofit groups. Eligible applicants for program grants are state or local education agencies, colleges, or groups of those entities. The programs may offer awareness and prevention work, peer support, licensed or certified care, follow-up services, or referrals. Priority would go to applicants in areas with a high share of schools receiving federal Title I aid. Training grants could support mental health strategies in educator preparation and staff training programs. The bill would authorize, but not provide, $35 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2028. Each grant or contract would last three years, and recipients would report yearly on their work. Each grant or contract would last three years. The bill authorizes funds for fiscal years 2026 through 2028, if Congress provides them.

The health secretary would run a national awareness effort, review education workforce mental health, and report to Congress; the Comptroller General would also report. The awareness effort and review would focus on education professionals and other school staff. The Comptroller General’s report would cover federal mental health and substance use grant programs serving those workers. The awareness effort would encourage staff to seek help for mental health or substance use concerns, recognize suicide and mental health risks, respond to those risks, and address stigma. The health secretary would consult relevant stakeholders on the awareness effort and review. The review could examine the prevalence of conditions, care barriers, COVID-19 effects, programs, and training. The bill would authorize, but not provide, $10 million per year for the awareness effort in fiscal years 2026 through 2028. The health secretary would report on the awareness effort and complete the review within two years after enactment. The Comptroller General would report within four years.