A Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduce Legislation Calling for More Trained Mental Health Care Professionals

Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Todd Young (R-IN), Gary Peters (D-MI) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) recently introduced the Mental Health Excellence in Schools Act (H.R. 4198). The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for trained mental health professionals in the nation’s K-12 schools, as well as in our communities. “This bipartisan bill would boost the pipeline of graduate students trained to become school psychologists, counselors and social workers responding to the youth mental health crisis that’s been worsened by the pandemic. Specifically, this bill calls on Congress to appropriate $20 million in FY23, $30 million in FY24, and $50 million in FY25.”

Senator Shaheen mentioned in a press release, “By helping more students afford graduate programs centered on school-based mental health, we can attract more workers to this critical field. The mental health crisis isn’t going away, and it is past time we dedicate resources and energy towards holistically helping those in need. We owe it to our children to empower them with tools to heal and succeed.”

Text of the bill can be found here. The bill has been referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee for consideration.