§ 280h–7 — Grants To Improve Trauma Support Services And Mental Health Care For Children And Youth In Educational Settings

(a) The Secretary, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, is authorized to award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, State educational agencies, local educational agencies, Indian Tribes (as defined in section 5304 of title 25) or their tribal educational agencies, a school operated by the Bureau of Indian Education, a Regional Corporation, or a Native Hawaiian educational organization, for the purpose of increasing student access to evidence-based trauma support services and mental health care by developing innovative initiatives, activities, or programs to link local school systems with local trauma-informed support and mental health systems, including those under the Indian Health Service. (b) With respect to a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement awarded or entered into under this section, the period during which payments under such grant, contract or agreement are made to the recipient may not exceed 4 years. (c) An entity that receives a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section shall use amounts made available through such grant, contract, or cooperative agreement for evidence-based activities, which shall include any of the following: (1) Collaborative efforts between school-based service systems and trauma-informed support and mental health service systems to provide, develop, or improve prevention, screening, referral, and treatment and support services to students, such as providing trauma screenings to identify students in need of specialized support. (2) To implement schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports, or other trauma-informed models of support. (3) To provide professional development to teachers, teacher assistants, school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, and mental health professionals that— (A) fosters safe and stable learning environments that prevent and mitigate the effects of trauma, including through social and emotional learning; (B) improves school capacity to identify, refer, and provide services to students in need of trauma support or behavioral health services; or (C) reflects the best practices for trauma-informed identification, referral, and support developed by the Task Force under section 7132. (4) Services at a full-service community school that focuses on trauma-informed supports, which may include a full-time site coordinator, or other activities consistent with section 7275 of title 20. (5) Engaging families and communities in efforts to increase awareness of child and youth trauma, which may include sharing best practices with law enforcement regarding trauma-informed care and working with mental health professionals to provide interventions, as well as longer term coordinated care within the community for children and youth who have experienced trauma and their families. (6) To provide technical assistance to school systems and mental health agencies. (7) To evaluate the effectiveness of the program carried out under this section in increasing student access to evidence-based trauma support services and mental health care. (8) To establish partnerships with or provide subgrants to Head Start agencies (including Early Head Start agencies), public and private preschool programs, child care programs (including home-based providers), or other entities described in subsection (a), to include such entities described in this paragraph in the evidence-based trauma initiatives, activities, support services, and mental health systems established under this section in order to provide, develop, or improve prevention, screening, referral, and treatment and support services to young children and their families. (d) To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section, an entity described in subsection (a) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require, which shall include the following: (1) A description of the innovative initiatives, activities, or programs to be funded under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, including how such program will increase access to evidence-based trauma support services and mental health care for students, and, as applicable, the families of such students. (2) A description of how the program will provide linguistically appropriate and culturally competent services. (3) A description of how the program will support students and the school in improving the school climate in order to support an environment conducive to learning. (4) An assurance that— (A) persons providing services under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement are adequately trained to provide such services; and (B) teachers, school leaders, administrators, specialized instructional support personnel, representatives of local Indian Tribes or tribal organizations as appropriate, other school personnel, and parents or guardians of students participating in services under this section will be engaged and involved in the design and implementation of the services. (5) A description of how the applicant will support and integrate existing school-based services with the program in order to provide mental health services for students, as appropriate. (6) A description of the entities in the community with which the applicant will partner or to which the applicant will provide subgrants in accordance with subsection (c)(8). (1) To ensure the provision of the services described in subsection (c), a recipient of a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section, or their designee, shall establish a local interagency agreement among local educational agencies, agencies responsible for early childhood education programs, Head Start agencies (including Early Head Start agencies), juvenile justice authorities, mental health agencies, child welfare agencies, and other relevant agencies, authorities, or entities in the community that will be involved in the provision of such services. (2) In ensuring the provision of the services described in subsection (c), the local interagency agreement shall specify with respect to each agency, authority, or entity that is a party to such agreement— (A) the financial responsibility for the services; (B) the conditions and terms of responsibility for the services, including quality, accountability, and coordination of the services; and (C) the conditions and terms of reimbursement among such agencies, authorities, or entities, including procedures for dispute resolution. (f) The Secretary shall reserve not more than 3 percent of the funds made available under subsection (l) for each fiscal year to— (1) conduct a rigorous, independent evaluation of the activities funded under this section; and (2) disseminate and promote the utilization of evidence-based practices regarding trauma support services and mental health care. (g) The Secretary shall ensure that grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements awarded or entered into under this section are equitably distributed among the geographical regions of the United States and among tribal, urban, suburban, and rural populations. (h) Nothing in this section shall be construed— (1) to prohibit an entity involved with a program carried out under this section from reporting a crime that is committed by a student to appropriate authorities; or (2) to prevent Federal, State, and tribal law enforcement and judicial authorities from exercising their responsibilities with regard to the application of Federal, tribal, and State law to crimes committed by a student. (i) Any services provided through programs carried out under this section shall supplement, and not supplant, existing mental health services, including any special education and related services provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.). (j) In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall, in a timely manner, meaningfully consult with Indian Tribes and their representatives to ensure notice of eligibility. (k) In this section: (1) The term “elementary school” has the meaning given such term in section 7801 of title 20. (2) The term “evidence-based” has the meaning given such term in section 7801(21)(A)(i) of title 20. (3) The term “Native Hawaiian educational organization” has the meaning given such term in section 7517 of title 20. (4) The term “local educational agency” has the meaning given such term in section 7801 of title 20. (5) (6) The term “school” means a public elementary school or public secondary school. (7) The term “school leader” has the meaning given such term in section 7801 of title 20. (8) The term “secondary school” has the meaning given such term in section 7801 of title 20. (9) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Education. (10) The term “specialized instructional support personnel” has the meaning given such term in section 7801 of title 20. (11) The term “State educational agency” has the meaning given such term in section 7801 of title 20. (l) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.