[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2685 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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114th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2685
To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve mental and behavioral
health services on campuses of institutions of higher education.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 15, 2016
Mr. Durbin (for himself, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Bennet) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve mental and behavioral
health services on campuses of institutions of higher education.
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 ``Mental Health on Campus Improvement
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The 2014 Association of University and College
Counseling Center Directors Survey found that the average ratio
of counselors to students on campus is nearly 1 to 1,833 and is
often far higher on large campuses. The International
Association of Counseling Services accreditation standards
recommends 1 counselor per 1,000 to 1,500 students.
(2) College counselors report that 10 percent of enrolled
students sought counseling in 2014.
(3) More than 90 percent of counseling directors believe
there is an increase in the number of students coming to campus
with severe psychological problems; today, 44 percent of the
students who visit campus counseling centers are dealing with
severe mental illness, up from 16 percent in 2000, and 24
percent are on psychiatric medication, up from 17 percent in
2000.
(4) The majority of campus counseling directors report that
the demand for services and the severity of student needs are
growing without an increase in resources.
(5) Many students who need help never receive it. Only 15
percent of college and university students who commit suicide
received campus counseling. Of students who seriously consider
suicide each year, only 52 percent of them seek any
professional help at all.
(6) A 2015 American College Health Association survey of
more than 93,000 college and university students revealed that,
within the last 12 months, 57 percent of students report having
felt overwhelming anxiety, 35 percent felt so depressed it was
difficult to function, and 48 percent felt hopeless. However,
only 12 percent of students reported receiving professional
treatment for anxiety within the past 12 months, and 11 percent
reported receiving treatment for depression within the past 12
months.
(7) The 2015 American College Health Association survey
also found that 9 percent of students have seriously considered
suicide in the past 12 months, a 20-percent increase compared
to 2012.
(8) Research conducted between 1997 and 2009, and presented
at the 118th annual convention of the American Psychological
Association found that more students are grappling with
depression and anxiety disorders than were a decade ago. The
study found that of students who sought college or university
counseling, 41 percent had moderate to severe depression in
2009, that number was 34 percent in 1997.
(9) A survey conducted by the student counseling center at
the University of Idaho in 2000 found that 77 percent of
students who responded reported that they were more likely to
stay in school because of counseling and that their school
performance would have declined without counseling.
(10) Students with psychological issues often struggle
academically and are at risk for dropping out of school.
Counseling has been shown to address these issues while having
a positive impact on students remaining in school. A 6-year
longitudinal study found college and university students
receiving counseling to have a 11.4-percent higher retention
rate than the general college and university population.
(11) A national survey of college and university students
living with mental health conditions, conducted by the National
Alliance on Mental Illness, found that 64 percent of students
who experience mental health problems in college or a
university and withdraw from school do so because of their
mental health issues. The survey also found that 50 percent of
that group never accessed mental health services and supports.
SEC. 3. IMPROVING MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
Title V of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting
after section 520E-2 (42 U.S.C. 290bb-36b) the following:
``SEC. 520E-3. GRANTS TO IMPROVE MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ON
COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section, with respect to
settings at institutions of higher education, to--
``(1) increase access to mental and behavioral health
services;
``(2) foster and improve the prevention of mental and
behavioral health disorders, and the promotion of mental
health;
``(3) improve the identification and treatment for students
at risk;
``(4) improve collaboration and the development of
appropriate levels of mental and behavioral health care;
``(5) reduce the stigma for students with mental health
disorders and enhance their access to mental health services;
and
``(6) improve the efficacy of outreach efforts.
``(b) Grants.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator and
in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall award
competitive grants to eligible entities to improve mental and
behavioral health services and outreach on campuses of institutions of
higher education.
``(c) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
subsection (b), an entity shall--
``(1) be an institution of higher education; and
``(2) submit to the Secretary an application at such time,
in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require, including the information required under
subsection (d).
``(d) Application.--An application for a grant under this section
shall include--
``(1) a description of the population to be targeted by the
program carried out under the grant, including the particular
mental and behavioral health needs of the students involved;
``(2) a description of the Federal, State, local, private,
and institutional resources available for meeting the needs of
such students at the time the application is submitted;
``(3) an outline of the objectives of the program carried
out under the grant;
``(4) a description of activities, services, and training
to be provided under the program, including planned outreach
strategies to reach students not currently seeking services;
``(5) a plan to seek input from community mental health
providers, when available, community groups, and other public
and private entities in carrying out the program;
``(6) a plan, when applicable, to meet the specific mental
and behavioral health needs of veterans attending institutions
of higher education;
``(7) a description of the methods to be used to evaluate
the outcomes and effectiveness of the program; and
``(8) an assurance that grant funds will be used to
supplement, and not supplant, any other Federal, State, or
local funds available to carry out activities of the type
carried out under the grant.
``(e) Special Considerations.--In awarding grants under this
section, the Secretary shall give special consideration to applications
that describe programs to be carried out under the grant that--
``(1) demonstrate the greatest need for new or additional
mental and behavioral health services, in part by providing
information on current ratios of students to mental and
behavioral health professionals;
``(2) propose effective approaches for initiating or
expanding campus services and supports using evidence-based
practices, including peer support strategies;
``(3) target traditionally underserved populations and
populations most at risk;
``(4) where possible, demonstrate an awareness of, and a
willingness to, coordinate with a community mental health
center or other mental health resource in the community, to
support screening and referral of students requiring intensive
services;
``(5) identify how the institution of higher education will
address psychiatric emergencies, including how information will
be communicated with families or other appropriate parties;
``(6) propose innovative practices that will improve
efficiencies in clinical care, broaden collaborations with
primary care, or improve prevention programs; and
``(7) demonstrate the greatest potential for replication
and dissemination.
``(f) Use of Funds.--Amounts received under a grant under this
section may be used to--
``(1) provide mental and behavioral health services to
students, including prevention, promotion of mental health,
voluntary screening, early intervention, voluntary assessment,
treatment, management, and education services relating to the
mental and behavioral health of students;
``(2) conduct research through a counseling or health
center at the institution of higher education involved
regarding improving the mental and behavioral health of
students through clinical services, outreach, prevention, or
academic success, in a manner that is in compliance with the
health privacy and security rules promulgated under section
264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 1320d-2 note);
``(3) provide outreach services to notify students about
the existence of mental and behavioral health services;
``(4) educate students, families, faculty, staff, and
communities to increase awareness of mental health issues;
``(5) support student groups on campus, including athletic
teams, that engage in activities to educate students, including
activities to reduce stigma surrounding mental and behavioral
disorders, and promote mental health wellness;
``(6) employ appropriately trained staff;
``(7) provide training to students, faculty, and staff to
respond effectively to students with mental and behavioral
health issues;
``(8) expand mental health training through internship,
post-doctorate, and residency programs;
``(9) develop and support evidence-based and emerging best
practices, including a focus on culturally and linguistically
appropriate best practices; and
``(10) evaluate and disseminate best practices to other
institutions of higher education.
``(g) Duration of Grants.--A grant under this section shall be
awarded for a period not to exceed 3 years.
``(h) Evaluation and Reporting.--
``(1) Evaluation.--Not later than 18 months after the date
on which a grant is received under this section, the eligible
entity involved shall submit to the Secretary the results of an
evaluation to be conducted by the entity (or by another party
under contract with the entity) concerning the effectiveness of
the activities carried out under the grant and plans for the
sustainability of such efforts.
``(2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of the Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act, the
Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of
Congress a report concerning the results of--
``(A) the evaluations conducted under paragraph
(1); and
``(B) an evaluation conducted by the Secretary to
analyze the effectiveness and efficacy of the
activities conducted with grants under this section.
``(i) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide technical
assistance to grantees in carrying out this section.
``(j) Definition.--In this section, the term `institution of higher
education' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
``(k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
``SEC. 520E-4. MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ON
COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to increase
access to, and reduce the stigma associated with, mental health
services to ensure that students at institutions of higher education
have the support necessary to successfully complete their studies.
``(b) National Public Education Campaign.--The Secretary, acting
through the Administrator and in collaboration with the Director of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall convene an
interagency, public-private sector working group to plan, establish,
and begin coordinating and evaluating a targeted public education
campaign that is designed to focus on mental and behavioral health on
the campuses of institutions of higher education. Such campaign shall
be designed to--
``(1) improve the general understanding of mental health
and mental health disorders;
``(2) encourage help-seeking behaviors relating to the
promotion of mental health, prevention of mental health
disorders, and treatment of such disorders;
``(3) make the connection between mental and behavioral
health and academic success; and
``(4) assist the general public in identifying the early
warning signs and reducing the stigma of mental illness.
``(c) Composition.--The working group convened under subsection (b)
shall include--
``(1) mental health consumers, including students and
family members;
``(2) representatives of institutions of higher education;
``(3) representatives of national mental and behavioral
health associations and associations of institutions of higher
education;
``(4) representatives of health promotion and prevention
organizations at institutions of higher education;
``(5) representatives of mental health providers, including
community mental health centers; and
``(6) representatives of private- and public-sector groups
with experience in the development of effective public health
education campaigns.
``(d) Plan.--The working group under subsection (b) shall develop a
plan that--
``(1) targets promotional and educational efforts to the
age population of students at institutions of higher education
and individuals who are employed in settings of institutions of
higher education, including through the use of roundtables;
``(2) develops and proposes the implementation of research-
based public health messages and activities;
``(3) provides support for local efforts to reduce stigma
by using the National Health Information Center as a primary
point of contact for information, publications, and service
program referrals; and
``(4) develops and proposes the implementation of a social
marketing campaign that is targeted at the population of
students attending institutions of higher education and
individuals who are employed in settings of institutions of
higher education.
``(e) Definition.--In this section, the term `institution of higher
education' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this
section.''.
SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON COLLEGE MENTAL HEALTH.
(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to provide for the
establishment of a College Campus Task Force to discuss mental and
behavioral health concerns on campuses of institutions of higher
education.
(b) Establishment.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a
College Campus Task Force (referred to in this section as the ``Task
Force'') to discuss mental and behavioral health concerns on campuses
of institutions of higher education.
(c) Membership.--The Task Force shall be composed of a
representative from each Federal agency (as appointed by the head of
the agency) that has jurisdiction over, or is affected by, mental
health and education policies and projects, including--
(1) the Department of Education;
(2) the Department of Health and Human Services;
(3) the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(4) such other Federal agencies as the Administrator of the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in
consultation with the Secretary, determines to be appropriate.
(d) Duties.--The Task Force shall--
(1) serve as a centralized mechanism to coordinate a
national effort--
(A) to discuss and evaluate evidence and knowledge
on mental and behavioral health services available to,
and the prevalence of mental health illness among, the
age population of students attending institutions of
higher education in the United States;
(B) to determine the range of effective, feasible,
and comprehensive actions to improve mental and
behavioral health on campuses of institutions of higher
education;
(C) to examine and better address the needs of the
age population of students attending institutions of
higher education dealing with mental illness;
(D) to survey Federal agencies to determine which
policies are effective in encouraging, and how best to
facilitate outreach without duplicating, efforts
relating to mental and behavioral health promotion;
(E) to establish specific goals within and across
Federal agencies for mental health promotion, including
determinations of accountability for reaching those
goals;
(F) to develop a strategy for allocating
responsibilities and ensuring participation in mental
and behavioral health promotions, particularly in the
case of competing agency priorities;
(G) to coordinate plans to communicate research
results relating to mental and behavioral health
amongst the age population of students attending
institutions of higher education to enable reporting
and outreach activities to produce more useful and
timely information;
(H) to provide a description of evidence-based best
practices, model programs, effective guidelines, and
other strategies for promoting mental and behavioral
health on campuses of institutions of higher education;
(I) to make recommendations to improve Federal
efforts relating to mental and behavioral health
promotion on campuses of institutions of higher
education and to ensure Federal efforts are consistent
with available standards and evidence and other
programs in existence as of the date of enactment of
this Act; and
(J) to monitor Federal progress in meeting specific
mental and behavioral health promotion goals as they
relate to settings of institutions of higher education;
(2) consult with national organizations with expertise in
mental and behavioral health, especially those organizations
working with the age population of students attending
institutions of higher education; and
(3) consult with and seek input from mental health
professionals working on campuses of institutions of higher
education as appropriate.
(e) Meetings.--
(1) In general.--The Task Force shall meet not less than 3
times each year.
(2) Annual conference.--The Secretary shall sponsor an
annual conference on mental and behavioral health in settings
of institutions of higher education to enhance coordination,
build partnerships, and share best practices in mental and
behavioral health promotion, data collection, analysis, and
services.
(f) Definition.--In this section, the term ``institution of higher
education'' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
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