Mental Health in Schools Excellence Program Act of 2025
May 21, 2025
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Where This Stands
Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →The Frame
The bill would create a new federal cost-sharing program for graduate students in school-based mental health fields, potentially lowering tuition costs for those students and increasing the supply of mental health providers in K-12 schools.
Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.
Graduate students in mental health fields
Students may receive financial assistance for their cost of attendance if their university participates in the program.
Graduate institutions
Universities may enter into agreements with the Department of Education to provide matching funds for student tuition.
K-12 schools
Schools may see an increase in the available pool of qualified mental health service providers as a result of the program.
Current stage: in_committee.
Floor Vote.
Summary
Key Facts
- The Secretary of Education is authorized to create the 'Mental Health in Schools Excellence Program'.
- The federal government will provide matching funds for up to 50% of a participating student's cost of attendance.
- Participating graduate institutions must enter into an agreement with the Secretary to match the federal contribution.
- Eligible graduate programs include school psychology, school counseling, school social work, and other school-based mental health fields.
- Graduate institutions must prioritize students who received Federal Pell Grants or attended minority-serving institutions as undergraduates.
- The Department of Education must maintain a public list of participating graduate institutions and their specific program agreements.
- Participating institutions must define the method of contribution (e.g., grant or scholarship) and set limits on the number of students and total contribution amounts per year.
- The bill defines 'cost of attendance' and 'institution of higher education' based on existing standards in the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to participate in this program?
How much of my tuition would the federal government cover?
Does this bill guarantee funding for all students?
Why It Matters
The bill would create a new federal cost-sharing program for graduate students in school-based mental health fields, potentially lowering tuition costs for those students and increasing the supply of mental health providers in K-12 schools.
News Coverage
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Targeted Financial Aid
The bill explicitly mandates that institutions prioritize students who were Pell Grant recipients or attended minority-serving institutions as undergraduates, signaling a focus on equity in workforce recruitment.
Connected Entities
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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