Peer to Peer Mental Health Support Act
Sponsored By: Senator John Hickenlooper
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a pilot program to expand and test peer-led mental health support in secondary schools. It would fund competitive awards to states, local governments, U.S. territories, and Tribal organizations to run evidence-based peer support activities and trainings.
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- Students and families: Students would get evidence-based peer support and training designed to improve early identification, response, recovery, and resilience for mental health and substance use challenges.
- Schools and educators: Participating schools would provide training for students and adult supervisors and must have a school-based mental health professional oversee the peer activities.
- Eligible entities: States, political subdivisions, territories, and Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations could apply for competitive grants to operate the pilot in one or more secondary schools.
- Privacy, evaluation, and federal support: Student education records used in the pilot would have legal privacy protections and the Department of Health and Human Services would evaluate participation, student outcomes, and connections to professional care, report the results to Congress, and provide technical assistance to grantees.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Peer mental health supports for students
This bill would create a competitive pilot grant program to fund evidence-based peer mental health support for students in secondary schools. States, local governments, territories, and Tribal organizations could apply for awards. Grant money could pay for peer support activities and training for students and adult supervisors. A school-based mental health professional would have to oversee the activities. Any student education records collected would be protected by FERPA. The Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, with the Secretary of Education, would provide technical help to applicants, evaluate participation, trainings, student outcomes, and connections to professional care, and report results to Congress. The pilot would begin on enactment and end on September 30, 2029.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
John Hickenlooper
CO • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
AK • R
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 10/23/2025
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 4/29/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov