Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
Introduced
Summary
Improving mental health and resiliency for education professionals and school staff. This bill would create federal grant programs and a national education and awareness initiative to prevent suicide, expand training, and fund peer and clinical supports for school staff.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants for educator mental health programs
If enacted, the government would award grants to state and local education agencies, colleges, tribes, and nonprofits to start or strengthen programs that improve mental health and resiliency for educators and school staff. Allowed activities would include awareness of suicide and mental-health or substance-use risk factors, suicide-prevention and resiliency programs, peer-support, and providing or referring to licensed mental health care (including telehealth). Grants would also support adding mental-health strategies into teacher and administrator preparation and into continuing education and professional development. Grants would run three years. The bill would authorize $35 million per year for 2026 through 2028. Priority would go to areas with many Title I schools. Recipients would need to submit annual evaluations.
National awareness and federal review
If enacted, the government would establish a national education and awareness initiative to encourage educators and school staff to seek help for mental health or substance-use concerns and to reduce stigma. The Department of Health and Human Services would identify and share evidence-based best practices with the Department of Education and other stakeholders. HHS would conduct a review of educator mental health, barriers to care, and program outcomes and report findings and recommendations to Congress not later than two years after enactment. The awareness initiative would be authorized $10 million per year for 2026 through 2028.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 4/30/2026
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
ME • I
Sponsored 4/30/2026
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 4/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov