CTE Student Mental Health and Wellness Act
The CT E Student Mental Health and Wellness Act would expand who can receive certain federal mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) service grants. Specifically, it amends the Public Health Service Act to replace references to “an institution of higher education” with the broader term “a covered institution,” and to define “covered institution” as including both area career and technical education (CTE) schools and institutions of higher education. In short, the bill makes area CTE schools eligible for the same mental health and SUD service grants that today are available to colleges and universities, aligning grant eligibility with the Perkins Act definition of CTE schools. The overall aim is to improve access to mental health and SUD services for students in CTE settings. Potential impacts include a broader set of institutions eligible for grant funding, potential growth in mental health resources for CTE students, and increased program administration to accommodate these institutions. The bill does not specify new funding levels, so eligibility expansion would depend on existing or future appropriations and grant awards.
Key Points
- 1Expands grant eligibility to include covered institutions, not just traditional colleges and universities.
- 2Redefines the term “covered institution” to include two categories: (1) area career and technical education schools (CTE schools) and (2) institutions of higher education.
- 3Replaces references to “an institution of higher education” and related phrases with “a covered institution” throughout the relevant section of the Public Health Service Act.
- 4Bases the CTE definition on the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, ensuring alignment with current CTE program definitions.
- 5Maintains the existing framework for mental health and SUD service grants, but broadens the pool of eligible recipients without specifying new funding levels.