Bill > S2050

This bill, known as the ASSIST Act (Advancing Student Services In Schools Today Act), aims to increase federal support for mental health and substance use disorder services in schools by amending the Social Security Act. Specifically, the bill would provide a 90% federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for state expenditures on behavioral health services delivered in schools or school-based health centers by qualified mental health and substance use disorder care providers. The bill establishes a grant program to help increase the number of such providers in educational settings, with eligible entities including local educational agencies, higher education institutions, Bureau of Indian Affairs schools, and school-based health centers. Grant recipients must submit annual reports detailing the number of providers, types of services, recruitment and retention practices, and service effectiveness. The bill defines mental health and substance use disorder care providers broadly, including school counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, peer support specialists, and addiction medicine specialists. Congress recognizes that limited access to mental health services negatively impacts children's health, particularly those covered by Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. The bill prohibits using grant funds for threat assessment teams and requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the program's effectiveness every five years.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2050/all-info