Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act
Impact
The bill mandates that the Secretary of Education, in collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, develops a program to administer these grants. Eligible entities, which can be local education agencies partnered with community health care providers, will use the funding to enhance telehealth systems, hire staff, and ensure sufficient operational support for mental health programs in schools. The authorization for funding is set at $5 million annually for the fiscal years 2024 through 2027, which indicates a commitment to long-term investment in student mental health resources.
Summary
House Bill 1689, known as the 'Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act,' proposes a framework for awarding grants to support the mental and behavioral health of elementary and secondary school students. This bill emphasizes the importance of addressing mental health needs, particularly among students who may lack access to adequate services—specifically those in rural areas or communities deemed to be in health professional shortage areas. By facilitating grants, the bill aims to bolster the resources available for mental health care within educational settings, including the use of telehealth services.
Contention
As the bill moves forward, there may be discussions around the prioritization of funding and the effectiveness of telehealth compared to in-person health services, particularly in rural areas where access can be limited. There may also be a dialogue about the balance between federal support and local autonomy over educational health programs. Advocates for student mental health will likely push for robust measures to ensure that the grants reach high-need schools, while critics may express concerns about funding sufficiency and the potential bureaucratic hurdles in accessing these resources.
Transition-to-Success Mentoring Act This bill establishes a transition-to-success mentoring program requiring the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to eligible entities (e.g., local educational agencies) to provide school-based mentoring programs to assist at-risk students in transitioning from middle to high school. ED must also work with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to (1) refer grant recipients to the National Mentoring Resource Center to obtain mentoring resources, and (2) provide grant recipients with information regarding transitional services for eligible students returning from correctional facilities and transition services for students with disabilities.
Reforms the organizational structure for the Department of Transportation and Development including its duties, powers, and responsibilities of officers and employees (EN INCREASE SD EX See Note)
A bill for an act providing for certain business entities acting under the jurisdiction of the secretary of state by providing for the removal of information from a filing based on a sworn affidavit and administrative dissolution based on the response to interrogatories.(See HF 2678.)