The Strengthening Supports for Youth Act establishes a pilot grant program to help parents, caregivers, and families support children and young adults facing behavioral health challenges like mental illness, substance use, and suicide risk. The program will award competitive grants to nonprofits, schools, child welfare agencies, and state and local organizations to develop and share evidence-based resources that teach families how to recognize warning signs, reduce stigma, connect youth to services, and administer overdose treatments. The bill also requires the government to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study the effectiveness of peer support services for young people with mental health and substance use issues. Congress has authorized $5 million in funding for each year from 2025 through 2028, with an evaluation of the pilot program's results due within one year after the first grant cycle and the peer support study due within 18 months of the law's enactment.
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