Sponsors (17)
Creates a DOE program matching eligible graduate institutions' contributions toward students' cost of attendance for school-based mental health graduate programs, up to 50%.
The bill expands and clarifies federal support to train more school-based mental-health providers and targets aid to low-income trainees—improving access to services in schools—while relying on institutional matching and narrow eligibility rules that can favor well-resourced programs, limit options for nontraditional programs, and increase federal costs.
K–12 students and school staff gain greater access to school-based mental health providers as the bill expands funded training and clarifies eligible pathways, likely increasing the number of counselors, psychologists, and social workers available in schools.
Graduate students (especially low-income and former Pell recipients) receive grants/scholarships covering up to 50% of cost of attendance when institutions match, reducing tuition burden and improving access to mental-health graduate training.
Students, colleges, and state licensing authorities get clearer definitions and accreditation/licensure links, which helps students understand eligibility, helps institutions meet qualifying standards, and supports a stronger workforce pipeline into school-based mental health roles.
Students and smaller or nontraditional graduate programs may be disadvantaged because the combination of required institutional matching and narrow accreditation/licensure criteria tends to favor well-resourced, accredited programs and can exclude emerging programs.
Taxpayers face increased federal spending to support grants and any required matches, which could raise budgetary costs depending on program scale.
Institutions may reserve awards or prioritize certain students under program agreements, limiting access for other applicants and creating uneven distribution of aid.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Official title: To establish the Mental Health in Schools Excellence Program to increase the recruitment and retention of school-based mental health services providers, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 21, 2025 by Brian K. Fitzpatrick · Last progress May 21, 2025
Creates a new Department of Education program that partners with eligible graduate institutions training school-based mental health professionals. Participating institutions agree to contribute toward a graduate student’s cost of attendance (for programs like school counseling, school social work, and school psychology), and the Education Secretary will match institutional contributions up to 50 percent. The program requires institutions to set per-student limits, caps on number of students, and to prioritize certain students (including former Pell Grant recipients and students from designated institutions), and the Secretary must publish and update a list of participating schools and conduct outreach to prioritized students. The Act defines eligible graduate institutions and participating students, adopts existing federal definitions for cost of attendance and institutions of higher education, and incorporates relevant accreditation and licensure criteria for school-based mental health fields. It is an authorization-style measure to expand support for graduate training that prepares a school mental health workforce, with matching funds contingent on institutional contributions and program agreements with the Secretary of Education.