Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act

This legislation would set up grants to help K–12 schools support students’ mental and behavioral health, with a focus on rural areas and places with little access to care. Schools could use the money to build or expand telehealth services for counseling and treatment—buying equipment and technology, setting aside space, and hiring or paying staff to run the program. Priority goes to high‑poverty schools, rural schools, and schools in areas with shortages of health professionals.

The Education Department must launch the program within 180 days after the law takes effect, and the funds must add to, not replace, other funding already in place. A public report on results is due by September 30, 2027, including how many students received care through telehealth and recommendations to improve the program. The plan authorizes $5 million each year from 2026 through 2029.

Key points

• Who is affected: Elementary and secondary school students, especially in rural, high‑poverty, or health‑professional shortage areas.
• What changes: Grants to set up or expand school‑based telehealth for mental and behavioral health; funds can cover equipment, space, and staff; programs must follow student privacy laws in their applications.
• When: Program starts within 180 days after enactment; report due by Sept. 30, 2027; funding for fiscal years 2026–2029.