Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act
Sen. Merkley Introduces Bill to Provide $5 Billion for Mental Health Staff in High-Need Schools
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being introduced in the Senate. It has been sent to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions for review. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time.
Legislative Progress
While student mental health is a popular topic, the bill currently lacks Republican cosponsors and proposes significant new federal spending, which often faces hurdles in a divided Congress.
Key Points
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
While this bill does not directly target youth in the justice system, it aims to reduce the pipeline from untreated mental illness to juvenile justice involvement. The bill cites data showing that 50 to 70 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system have a mental illness, compared to just 9 to 13 percent of youth who are not. Providing mental health services in schools could help prevent youth from ending up in the system in the first place.
“Between 50 and 70 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system have a mental illness compared to 9 to 13 percent of youth who are not in the juvenile justice system.”
Disabilities
Milestones
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(19)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.