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119-s-1895119th CongressWALLET

Mental Health Excellence in Schools Act

Sponsored By: Senator Young, Todd [R-IN]

Introduced

Summary

The Mental Health Excellence in Schools Act would create a federal program to grow the school-based mental health workforce by offering matching grants for graduate students in school-based mental health fields. It pairs institutional contributions with federal funds to cover up to 50% of a participating student's cost of attendance when the institution matches.

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  • Participating graduate students could get up to 50% of their cost of attendance paid when their eligible graduate institution matches federal contributions. Institutions set per-student caps and limits on how many students they will support each year.
  • Eligible graduate programs include school psychology, school counseling, and school social work. Institutions must sign agreements, prioritize students who were Federal Pell Grant recipients or attended institutions listed in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act, and submit annual reports on students served and outcomes.
  • The Department of Education would publish a list of participating schools and conduct targeted outreach to prior Pell recipients. The Secretary must provide an interim report to Congress within two years after first contributions and commission an independent national evaluation within four years.

*Would authorize appropriations of $20 million for fiscal year 2026, $30 million for fiscal year 2027, and $50 million per year for fiscal years 2028–2030, totaling $200 million in authorized funds and increasing federal spending authorization.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Help for graduate mental health students

If enacted, the Department of Education could create the Mental Health Excellence in Schools Program. Graduate students in qualifying school-based mental health programs at participating schools could get up to 50% of their annual cost of attendance. Your school must join the program and match the Department's contribution dollar-for-dollar. Each school agreement would set how much each student gets, how many students are covered, and require schools to prioritize students who received Pell grants as undergraduates or attended certain listed institutions. Participating schools must file yearly reports and the Department would publish a list of participating schools and evaluate program results.

Funding for school mental health program

If enacted, Congress could authorize money to run the Mental Health Excellence in Schools Program. The bill would authorize $20 million for FY2026; $30 million for FY2027; and $50 million for each year FY2028 through FY2030. These funds would be available to support participating schools and students under the program. Authorization does not itself appropriate money; Congress would still need to approve the spending.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Young, Todd [R-IN]

IN • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

    NH • D

    Sponsored 5/22/2025

  • Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]

    ND • R

    Sponsored 5/22/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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