This bill creates a federal grant program to fund peer-to-peer mental health support in secondary schools across the country. The program would award competitive grants of up to $250,000 to school districts, tribal organizations, and the Bureau of Indian Education to train students as peer support specialists who can help other students with mental health challenges. Funded programs must include training in recognizing mental health warning signs, suicide prevention, substance abuse issues, and connecting students to professional services, and must be overseen by certified supervisors and school-based mental health providers. The bill authorizes $20 million annually from 2024 through 2028, with preference given to schools establishing new programs, particularly those in areas with high suicide rates or recent trauma. The grant program would be administered by the federal government's Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, working with the Department of Education to provide technical assistance and evaluate whether the programs successfully improve student mental health outcomes.
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