H.R. 7497

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7497 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7497

To amend the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act to improve trauma 
support services and mental health care for children and youth in 
educational settings, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 11, 2026

Mrs. Hayes (for herself, Ms. Brown, Ms. Norton, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. 
Moulton, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Frost, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Takano, Ms. 
Stansbury, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Fields, Ms. Lofgren, Ms. Salinas, Mrs. 
McIver, Ms. Pingree, Mrs. Grijalva, Mr. Carson, Ms. Wilson of Florida, 
Ms. Ross, and Mr. Garcia of Illinois) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act to improve trauma 
support services and mental health care for children and youth in 
educational settings, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Trauma-Informed Education 
Practices Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE SUPPORT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT.

Section 7134 of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (42 
U.S.C. 280h-7) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 7134. GRANTS TO IMPROVE TRAUMA SUPPORT SERVICES AND MENTAL 
HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN EDUCATIONAL 
SETTINGS.

``(a) Authorization of Grants.--
``(1) Grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements 
authorized.--The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services, is authorized to award grants to, 
or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, an 
eligible entity for the purpose of increasing student, teacher, 
school leader, and other school personnel access to evidence-
based trauma support services and mental health services by 
developing innovative initiatives, activities, or programs to 
connect schools and local educational agencies, or tribal 
educational agencies, as applicable, with community trauma-
informed support and mental health systems, including such 
systems under the Indian Health Service.
``(2) Reservations.--From the total amount appropriated 
under subsection (l) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
reserve--
``(A) not more than 3 percent to conduct the 
evaluation under subsection (f); and
``(B) not more than 2 percent for technical 
assistance and administration.
``(b) Duration.--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 5 years.
``(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives or enters 
into a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section 
shall use amounts made available through such grant, contract, or 
cooperative agreement for evidence-based initiatives, activities, or 
programs, which shall include at least 1 of the following:
``(1) Enhancing, improving, or developing collaborative 
efforts between schools, local educational agencies or tribal 
educational agencies, as applicable, and community mental 
health and trauma-informed service delivery systems to provide, 
develop, or improve prevention, referral, treatment, and 
support services to students.
``(2) Implementing trauma-informed models of support, 
including positive behavioral interventions and supports in 
schools served by the eligible entity.
``(3) Providing professional development to teachers, 
paraprofessionals, school leaders, school-based mental health 
services providers, and other specialized instructional support 
personnel employed by local educational agencies or tribal 
educational agencies, as applicable or schools served by the 
eligible entity 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-
informed support or mental health services, including 
by helping educators to identify the unique personal 
and contextual variables that influence the 
manifestation of trauma; and
``(C) reflects the best practices for trauma-
informed identification, referral, and support 
developed by the Interagency Task Force on Trauma-
Informed Care (as established by section 7132).
``(4) Providing trauma-informed support services and mental 
health services to students at full-service community schools 
served by the eligible entity.
``(5) Engaging families and communities to increase 
awareness of child and youth trauma, which may include sharing 
best practices with law enforcement regarding trauma-informed 
services and working with mental health professionals to 
provide interventions and longer term coordinated care within 
the community for children and youth who have experienced 
trauma and the families of such children and youth.
``(6) Evaluating the effectiveness of the initiatives, 
activities, or programs carried out under this section in 
increasing student access to evidence-based trauma support 
services and mental health services.
``(7) Establishing partnerships with or providing subgrants 
to early childhood education programs or other eligible 
entities, to include such entities in the evidence-based 
trauma-informed or mental health initiatives, activities, and 
support services established under this section in order to 
provide, develop, or improve prevention, referral, treatment, 
and support services to children and their families.
``(8) Establishing new, or enhancing existing, evidence-
based educational, awareness, and prevention programs to 
improve mental health and resiliency among teachers, 
paraprofessionals, school leaders, school-based mental health 
services providers, and other specialized instructional support 
personnel employed by local educational agencies or tribal 
educational agencies, as applicable, or schools served by the 
eligible entity.
``(d) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, 
or cooperative agreement under this section, an eligible entity 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 initiatives, 
activities, or programs will increase access to evidence-based 
trauma-informed support services and mental health services for 
students, and, as applicable, the families of such students.
``(2) A description of how the initiatives, activities, or 
programs will provide linguistically appropriate and culturally 
competent services.
``(3) A description of how the initiatives, activities, or 
programs will support schools served by the eligible entity in 
improving school climate in order to support an environment 
conducive to learning.
``(4) An assurance that--
``(A) persons providing services under the 
initiative, activity, or program funded by the grant, 
contract, or cooperative agreement are fully licensed 
or certified to provide such services;
``(B) teachers, school leaders, administrators, 
school-based mental health services providers and other 
specialized instructional support personnel, 
representatives of local Indian Tribes or tribal 
organizations as appropriate, other school personnel, 
individuals who have experience receiving mental health 
services as children, and parents of students 
participating in services under this section will be 
engaged and involved in the design and implementation 
of the services; and
``(C) the eligible entity will comply with the 
evaluation required under subsection (f).
``(5) A description of how the eligible entity will support 
and integrate existing school-based services at schools served 
by the eligible entity with the initiatives, activities, or 
programs funded under this section in order to provide trauma-
informed support services or mental health services for 
students, as appropriate.
``(6) A description of how the eligible entity will 
incorporate peer support services into the initiatives, 
activities, or programs to be funded under this section.
``(7) A description of how the eligible entity will ensure 
that initiatives, activities, or programs funded under this 
section are accessible to and include students with 
disabilities.
``(8) An assurance that the eligible entity will establish 
a local interagency agreement under subsection (e) and comply 
with such agreement.
``(e) Interagency Agreements.--
``(1) Local interagency agreements.--In carrying out an 
evidence-based initiative, activity, or program described in 
subsection (c), an eligible entity that receives a grant, 
contract, or cooperative agreement under this section, or a 
designee of such entity, shall establish an interagency 
agreement between 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 
services under such initiative, activity, or program.
``(2) Contents.--The local interagency agreement required 
under paragraph (1) shall specify, with respect to each agency, 
authority, or entity that is a party to such agreement--
``(A) the financial responsibility for any services 
provided by such entity;
``(B) the conditions and terms of responsibility 
for such services, including quality, accountability, 
and coordination of the services; and
``(C) the conditions and terms of reimbursement of 
such agencies, authorities, or entities, including 
procedures for dispute resolution.
``(f) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall conduct a rigorous and 
independent evaluation of the initiatives, activities, and programs 
carried out by an eligible entity under this section and disseminate 
evidence-based practices regarding trauma-informed support services and 
mental health services.
``(g) Distribution of Awards.--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) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed--
``(1) to prohibit an entity involved with an initiative, 
activity, or 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, local, and tribal law 
enforcement and judicial authorities from exercising their 
responsibilities with regard to the application of Federal, 
State, local, and tribal law to crimes committed by a student.
``(i) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Federal funds provided under this 
section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, 
State, or local funds available to carry out the initiatives, 
activities, and programs described in this section.
``(j) Consultation Required.--In awarding or entering into grants, 
contracts, and cooperative agreements under this section, the Secretary 
shall, in a timely manner, meaningfully consult with Indian Tribes, 
Regional Corporations, Native Hawaiian Educational Organizations, and 
their representatives to ensure notice of eligibility.
``(k) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Early childhood education program.--The term `early 
childhood education program' has the meaning given such term in 
section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1003).
``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
``(A) a State educational agency;
``(B) a local educational agency;
``(C) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of 
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act) or their tribal educational agency;
``(D) the Bureau of Indian Education;
``(E) a Regional Corporation;
``(F) a Native Hawaiian educational organization; 
and
``(G) State, Territory, and Tribal Lead Agencies 
administering the Child Care and Development Fund as 
described in section 658D(a) of the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9858b(a)).
``(3) ESEA terms.--
``(A) The terms `elementary school', `evidence-
based', `local educational agency', `paraprofessional', 
`parent', `professional development', `school leader', 
`secondary school', `Secretary', `specialized 
instructional support personnel', and `State 
educational agency' have the meanings given such terms 
in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
``(B) The term `full-service community school' has 
the meaning given such term in section 4622 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7272).
``(C) The term `Native Hawaiian educational 
organization' has the meaning given such term in 
section 6207 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517).
``(D) The term `school-based mental health services 
provider' has the meaning given the term in section 
4102 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7112).
``(4) Regional corporation.--The term `Regional 
Corporation' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the 
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602).
``(5) School.--The term `school' means a public elementary 
school or public secondary school.
``(l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $50,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2027 through 2031.''.
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