Rep. Salinas Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Mental Health Services for Students Nationwide

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced the reintroduction of the bipartisan Mental Health Services for Students Act alongside Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). This legislation would bring critical, on-site mental health services to students in public schools across the country and provide $300 million in federal funding for school-based mental health programs to address the nation’s youth mental health crisis.

 “Our youth are facing a mental health crisis that cannot be ignored. We owe it to our students to meet them where they are with the resources they need,” said Congresswoman Salinas, Co-Chair of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus. “That is why I am introducing a bill to expand school-based mental health services staffed by qualified, trained professionals. Providing on-site care will empower students with the necessary support to thrive both inside and outside the classroom."

“As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Task Force, I’ve worked to bring our local schools, mental health professionals, and community partners to build a comprehensive approach to youth mental health in Bucks and Montgomery counties,” said Fitzpatrick. “The Mental Health Services for Students Act drives that model nationwide—expanding SAMHSA’s Project AWARE to place dedicated mental health teams in schools, demand measurable outcomes, and make prevention the norm rather than the exception. This legislation is a decisive step to ensure every student in America has the support and resources they need to flourish, achieve, and thrive.”

The Mental Health Services for Students Act amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, to fund state and local educational agencies in partnership with community-based mental health providers. These partnerships will provide developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate mental health services, as well as trauma-informed supports and positive behavioral interventions.

Key provisions include:

• Providing access to more comprehensive on-site mental health care services for students and their communities by revising, increasing funding for, and expanding the scope of SAMHSA’s Project AWARE.
• Support for training school staff to recognize signs of trauma, mental health disorders, and suicide risk.
• Creation of partnerships between schools, health providers, law enforcement, and community organizations to respond to child and adolescent trauma.
• Mechanisms for students to report incidents of violence or threats to safety.
• Rigorous evaluation and reporting requirements to measure program success and identify best practices.

This bill builds on the success of existing programs like the Youth Suicide Prevention Program, which has shown how early intervention can reduce mental health crises and improve outcomes for students and their families.

“The quality of a student’s mental health is directly linked to the quality of a student’s education. As such, it is vital that we continue providing students and parents with access to much-needed mental health and substance use information and resources, and this bill will mean more help for more students who need it,” said Reyna Taylor, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy for theNational Council for Mental Wellbeing. “We applaud Rep. Salinas and Rep. Fitzpatrick for their leadership in building on our ongoing efforts to improve mental wellbeing among young people and help them reach their full potential.”

“Our nation is facing a youth mental health crisis, and every student deserves access to mental health support when they need it,” said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer at theNational Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). “The Mental Health Services for Students Act takes an important step in expanding and strengthening the delivery of mental health services in schools. By investing in early screenings, enhanced school counseling, and timely referrals, this legislation will help ensure that students receive support early—helping improve outcomes and improve lives. NAMI strongly supports this bill and thanks Reps. Salinas and Fitzpatrick for prioritizing the mental well-being of our young people.”

“Strong, resilient children become strong, resilient adults. The Mental Health Services for Students Act would help by expanding existing school-based mental health programs while improving the efficacy of those activities by establishing guidelines and measuring outcomes,” said Jonah C. Cunningham, President and CEO of NACBHDD.

“Schools play a vital role in providing behavioral health care to many children and are often key to prevention and early intervention. Services provided by psychologists and other behavioral health providers are integral to addressing students’ health, well-being, and long-term academic success,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, CEO of theAmerican Psychological Association. “The American Psychological Association applauds Representatives Salinas and Fitzpatrick for introducing the bipartisan Mental Health Services for Students Act, which recognizes that continued federal investments are necessary to addressing the behavioral health and educational needs of students nationwide.”

“The growing mental health crisis among our nation’s youth calls for the expansion of effective mental health services in the setting where young people spend most of their time—at school,” said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). “The Mental Health Services for Students Act will improve student well-being, support teachers, and help more young people access comprehensive mental health care. We thank Rep. Salinas and Fitzpatrick for their leadership on this critical legislation.”

“The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) proudly supports the Mental Health Services for Students Act. We recognize that access to school-based mental health services is vital to student well-being and academic success. Students deserve supports that help them thrive.”

Reps. Salinas and Fitzpatrick were joined in introducing the bill by Reps. Nanette Barragán, Suzanne Bonamici, Julia Brownley, Nikki Budzinski, Mike Carey, Yvette Clarke, Steve Cohen, Angie Craig, Madeleine Dean, Suzan DelBene, Lloyd Doggett, Lois Frankel, Maxwell Frost, Robert Garcia, Josh Harder, Jonathan Jackson, Seth Magaziner, Betty McCollum, Robert Menendez, Seth Moulton, Frank Mrvan, Kevin Mullin, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Chris Pappas, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Delia Ramirez, Pat Ryan, Dina Titus, Jill Tokuda, Ritchie Torres, Mary Gay Scanlon, Hillary Scholten, Brad Schneider, Eric Sorensen, and Lauren Underwood.

The Mental Health Services for Students Act is also endorsed by the National Council on Mental Wellbeing, NAMI, the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD), the National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH), the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), the American Psychological Association (APA), the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Western Youth Services, the Clinical Social Work Association, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA), Youth Power Project, the International Society for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN), the National Board for Certified Counselors & Affiliates, The Trevor Project, the National Eating Disorders Association, the Children’s Hospital Association, the National Federation of Families, Inseparable, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), Sandy Hook Promise, Active Minds, Treatment Communities of America, the American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, the Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN), the Global Alliance for Behavioral Health & Social Justice, the American Occupational Therapy Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, the National Register of Health Service Psychologists, the American Federation of Teachers, the School Social Work Association of America, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC), Youth Villages, the International OCD Foundation, the First Focus Campaign for Children, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health, Young Invincibles, the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, and the American Counseling Association.

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