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Authorizes federal grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to help schools expand access to evidence-based trauma-informed supports and mental health services for students, school staff, and families. Eligible entities — including states, local education agencies, tribes and tribal agencies, the Bureau of Indian Education, Regional Corporations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and certain child care lead agencies — can use funds for school–community partnerships, trauma-informed models, staff training, family engagement, and program evaluation. Grants may run up to five years; the measure authorizes $50 million per year for fiscal years 2027–2031 and sets aside small shares for evaluation and technical assistance/administration.
The bill expands access to evidence-based, trauma-informed mental health supports in schools—especially in underserved communities—through competitive grants and required evaluations, while imposing modest federal costs, administrative requirements, and time-limited funding that may limit local flex
Students and school staff will gain increased access to evidence-based, trauma-informed mental health services through new federal grant funding.
School staff and leaders will receive grant-funded professional development and staff mental health/resilience programs, improving educator wellbeing and retention.
Families and young children will receive more coordinated supports through school–community partnerships and links to early childhood programs (including Head Start).
Rural, tribal, and other underserved communities will have a better chance of receiving grant funds because awards are required to be equitably distributed across regions and community types.
Local school districts and other eligible applicants will face increased administrative burden from detailed application, reporting, evaluation, and interagency-agreement requirements.
Schools and students may face sustainability challenges because grants are time-limited (maximum five-year awards), requiring districts to find replacement funding after grants end.
Up to 5% of annual appropriations is reserved for evaluation, technical assistance, and administration, which reduces the share available for direct services to students.
School districts must use grant funds to supplement, not supplant, existing funding, which limits flexibility for districts that have already allocated local or state funds to these services.
Authorizes the Department (the Secretary), in coordination with HHS, to award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to increase access to evidence-based trauma support and mental health services in schools and connect schools with community trauma‑informed systems (including Indian Health Service).
Authorizes $50,000,000 to be appropriated each fiscal year for FY2027 through FY2031 to carry out this section.
Limits grant award periods so payments to recipients may not exceed 5 years per grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.
Requires grant funds to be used for evidence-based initiatives and lists permitted activities, including school–community collaboration, trauma-informed models, professional development, full-service community school services, family/community engagement, evaluation, partnerships/subgrants with early childhood programs, and staff mental health/resilience programs.
Requires the Secretary to conduct a rigorous and independent evaluation of initiatives, activities, and programs funded under this section and disseminate evidence-based practices regarding trauma-informed support and mental health services.
Directly affected groups include students and youth, school staff, families, tribal and Native Hawaiian education programs, and local education agencies. If funded, schools and partner organizations could expand counseling, early intervention, and trauma-informed practices and increase staff training. Tribal schools, Bureau of Indian Education entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations are explicitly eligible, improving access in underserved communities. The independent evaluation requirement should improve evidence about which models work, but applicants will face additional administrative steps (applications, interagency agreements, reporting). Funding authorization for 2027–2031 creates a multi-year opportunity for program planning but does not itself appropriate funds — actual impact depends on future appropriations.
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced February 11, 2026 by Jahana Hayes · Last progress February 11, 2026
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Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced in House