Community Schools and Health Equity Act
Sponsored By: Representative García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
Introduced
Summary
Expanding school-based health services in community schools by funding clinics, mental health care, and wraparound supports is the bill's main goal. It would create a competitive grant program administered by the Secretary of Education in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to help local school systems partner with Federally qualified health centers and community groups.
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- Families and students: Grants would fund primary care, mental health, preventive services, and referrals at school. They can also support nutrition assistance, housing referrals, family engagement, and legal help.
- Schools and local providers: Funds may pay for hiring and training school nurses, mental health professionals, social workers, and community school coordinators. The grants encourage partnerships with Federally qualified health centers and institutions of higher education to develop health career pathways for students.
- Equity and accountability: Priority goes to programs serving high concentrations of low-income students, many English learners, or located in medically underserved areas. Grantees must report annually on students served and outcomes and the Education Secretary must submit an evaluation to Congress every three years on program effectiveness.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More school health services for students
This bill would create competitive grants to help community schools add or expand school-based health services. Grants would be run by the Secretary of Education with HHS and go to local education agencies, consortia, or LEA partnerships with community groups, federally qualified health centers, public health agencies, or colleges. Funds could pay for primary and mental health care at school, nurses and counselors, wraparound help (nutrition, housing referrals, family engagement, legal help), culturally and linguistically appropriate services, trauma response, and health career pathways. Awards would be prioritized for schools with many low-income students, many English learners or immigrant families, unmet student health needs, or locations with poor access to care. Grantees would file yearly reports on students served and outcomes (health, attendance, academics) with data disaggregated by income, race, ethnicity, and English learner status. The Education and Health Departments would sign a coordination agreement to reduce administrative burdens and give technical help. The bill would not change federal privacy protections like FERPA or HIPAA.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Cosponsors
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 6/29/2026
Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2]
AL • D
Sponsored 6/29/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov