Senator’s bipartisan legislation increases students’ access to comprehensive mental health services through school

April 8, 2024 - WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema has introduced the bipartisan CARE for Student Mental Health Act with U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).

The bipartisan legislation helps high-need Local Education Agencies (LEAs) provide comprehensive school mental health services to students, increasing students’ access to mental health care.

“Children should learn in healthy and safe environments. Building on our Bipartisan Safer Communities law, our new bipartisan legislation will strengthen comprehensive school mental health services to Arizona students,” said Sinema.

Sinema’s CARE for Student Mental Health Act will increase the number of fully trained school-based mental health services professionals – such as school psychologists, school counselors, and school social workers – and provide financial support to high-need LEAs to recruit, hire, and retain school mental health personnel.

This bipartisan legislation broadens access to competitive mental health grants distributed by the U.S. Department of Education to ensure high-need, low-capacity districts and students in geographically isolated areas can access funding to hire and address shortages of the critical mental health professionals that students need to remain healthy and engaged in school.

Introduction of the bipartisan CARE for Student Mental Health Act builds on Sinema’s work on mental health, notably her Bipartisan Safer Communities law which made historic investments in children and family mental health services, school-based mental health and supportive services, and more. Sinema, an experienced social worker who has taught at Arizona State University’s School of Social Work for over 20 years, used her social work background when writing and negotiating the historic Bipartisan Safer Communities law.
Source: Senator Kyrsten Sinema