Expanding Access to Mental Health Services in Schools Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative DeLauro
Introduced
Summary
Expand access to school-based mental health services. This bill would create a federal grant program to help high-need local educational agencies recruit, hire, retain, and diversify mental health providers for elementary and secondary schools.
Show full summary
- K–12 students in participating schools would get more school-based mental health care through new hires and evidence-based programs.
- Eligible districts are those that rank among the State's top 15% by student count or student need and that miss key staffing ratios. Grants must include at least a 25% non-Federal match.
- Grants could fund stipends, student loan repayment, relocation benefits, professional development, induction, mentorship, and other incentives to recruit and retain providers. Awards may run up to 5 years with renewals up to 2 years and require annual reporting plus compliance with FERPA and IDEA.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants to hire more school mental health staff
This bill would create competitive grants to help schools hire more mental health staff. A district would qualify as high-need if it is in the top 15% by the number or share of children counted under federal education law and it misses at least two staffing ratios: 1 counselor per 250 students, 1 psychologist per 500, or 1 social worker per 250. Grants could last up to 5 years, with renewals up to 2 years. Funds could pay for hiring and incentives like stipends, relocation help, and student loan repayment, plus training and mentorship. Applicants would need a plan and must ensure in-person and telehealth services follow FERPA and IDEA.
How grant funds would be split
The bill would authorize funding for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. Each year, up to 2% could fund administration, 1% would go to Bureau of Indian Education schools, and 1% to outlying areas. After those set-asides, at least 50% of the remaining funds would go to strong applications from high-need districts. The Department would aim for urban, suburban, and rural balance.
Local 25% match for these grants
Grantees would need to cover at least 25% of each project with non-Federal money. Grant funds would have to add to, not replace, existing local or State funds.
Data reporting with privacy safeguards
Grant recipients would follow the same reporting rules used under Title IV of the education law. They could skip breaking data into small groups when counts are too small or would expose a student’s identity.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
DeLauro
CT • D
Cosponsors
Hayes
CT • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Amo
RI • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Balint
VT • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Carson
IN • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Chu
CA • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Doggett
TX • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Evans (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Espaillat
NY • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Harder (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Houlahan
PA • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Hoyer
MD • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Krishnamoorthi
IL • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Landsman
OH • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Lynch
MA • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Sanchez
CA • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Pingree
ME • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Strickland
WA • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Takano
CA • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Thanedar
MI • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Tokuda
HI • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Tran
CA • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Watson Coleman
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Case
HI • D
Sponsored 7/2/2025
Goldman (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 7/2/2025
Tlaib
MI • D
Sponsored 7/2/2025
Sorensen
IL • D
Sponsored 7/2/2025
Pocan
WI • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Whitesides
CA • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
McBride
DE • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Moore (WI)
WI • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Fields
LA • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Gottheimer
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Horsford
NV • D
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Cherfilus-McCormick
FL • D
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Torres (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Davis (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Rivas
CA • D
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Panetta
CA • D
Sponsored 7/15/2025
Friedman
CA • D
Sponsored 7/15/2025
Garamendi
CA • D
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Lee (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 7/17/2025
Bell
MO • D
Sponsored 7/17/2025
Clarke (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Subramanyam
VA • D
Sponsored 7/22/2025
Magaziner
RI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Pettersen
CO • D
Sponsored 8/15/2025
Norcross
NJ • D
Sponsored 8/15/2025
Titus
NV • D
Sponsored 8/15/2025
Lieu
CA • D
Sponsored 8/15/2025
Mannion
NY • D
Sponsored 9/2/2025
Bynum
OR • D
Sponsored 9/2/2025
McClain Delaney
MD • D
Sponsored 9/3/2025
DeSaulnier
CA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Elfreth
MD • D
Sponsored 9/4/2025
Moulton
MA • D
Sponsored 9/8/2025
Budzinski
IL • D
Sponsored 9/8/2025
Raskin
MD • D
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Lawler
NY • R
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Bishop
GA • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Ross
NC • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
McGarvey
KY • D
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Dingell
MI • D
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Randall
WA • D
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Ramirez
IL • D
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Larson (CT)
CT • D
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Himes
CT • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Dean (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Ansari
AZ • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Salinas
OR • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Thompson (MS)
MS • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Frankel, Lois
FL • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Frost
FL • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Goodlander
NH • D
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Carbajal
CA • D
Sponsored 11/4/2025
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 11/4/2025
Cisneros
CA • D
Sponsored 11/4/2025
Thompson (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 11/4/2025
Mullin
CA • D
Sponsored 11/10/2025
Williams (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 11/10/2025
Kennedy (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 11/10/2025
Walkinshaw
VA • D
Sponsored 11/10/2025
Latimer
NY • D
Sponsored 11/12/2025
Torres (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 11/17/2025
McCollum
MN • D
Sponsored 11/17/2025
Carter (LA)
LA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Stansbury
NM • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Jayapal
WA • D
Sponsored 11/21/2025
Beatty
OH • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Ruiz
CA • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Casten
IL • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
PR • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Min
CA • D
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 1/14/2026
Mfume
MD • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Trahan
MA • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Wilson (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Kaptur
OH • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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