Prioritize student mental health

Statement

The mental health of students must be a priority as schools continue to navigate the coronavirus crisis and plan for the upcoming academic year. I joined my colleagues Reps. Napolitano (D-CA) and Katko (R-NY) on a bipartisan letter urging house leadership to include H.R. 1109, the Mental Health Services for Students Act, in the next coronavirus package. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one in five children have a diagnosable mental illness. I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 1109 which would provide $200 million in competitive grants for public schools to establish mental health services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education). H.R. 6800, The HEROES Act, included $100 million for student mental health services through Project AWARE plus an additional $90 billion in state grants for schools. The Senate has not considered H.R. 6800 yet.

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