H.R. 4120 — Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act of 2025

This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Education and not later than two years after enactment, to identify and disseminate evidence-based or evidence-informed best practices for (1) preventing suicide and improving mental health and resiliency among education professionals and other school staff; and (2) training such professionals and staff in strategies to support, maintain, and promote their mental health.

This section directs the Secretary, in consultation with stakeholders including medical professional associations, to establish a national evidence-based or evidence-informed education and awareness initiative to encourage education professionals and school staff to seek mental health and substance use disorder services, identify suicide and mental health risks, learn how to respond to such risks, and address related stigma, with the goal of preventing suicide, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders. The section requires a report to Congress within two years of enactment on the initiative's activities and outcomes, including evaluation metrics. The section authorizes $10 million for each of FY2026 through FY2028.

This section redesignates the existing rural maternal health training demonstration program (42 U.S.C. 294s) as section 764A and establishes a new section 764B to promote mental health and resiliency among education professionals and other school staff. Section 764B directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants or contracts under subsection (a) to State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education (IHEs), or consortia thereof—prioritizing entities with a high percentage of schools receiving aid under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965—to establish or enhance evidence-based or evidence-informed programs, including (1) suicide and mental health/substance use disorder awareness training; (2) prevention and resiliency programs; (3) peer-support programs; and (4) mental health care, telehealth, or referrals by licensed professionals. Subsection (b) authorizes training grants to IHEs, SEAs, LEAs, governments, Indian Tribes, or nonprofits (or consortia) to incorporate evidence-based strategies addressing mental/substance use disorders into educator preparation, professional development, and continuing education programs. Grants and contracts under subsections (a) and (b) are for three years, require annual evaluation reports, and are authorized at $35 million annually for FY2026 through FY2028.

This section directs the Secretary of Education, not later than two years after enactment of this Act and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to conduct a review of improving (1) the mental health of education professionals and other school staff and (2) the outcomes of programs authorized under this Act, and to submit a report to Congress on the results. The review may assess the prevalence and causes of mental health conditions among such personnel, barriers to mental health care and actions to address them, COVID-19 effects and lessons learned, relevant programs and policies, and the efficacy of resiliency training; and, as appropriate, it must identify best practices and recommendations for improving mental health and resiliency, removing care barriers, and promoting resiliency strategies.

This section directs the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to Congress, not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, a report on the extent to which federal substance use disorder and mental health grant programs address the prevalence and severity of mental health conditions and substance use disorders among education professionals and other school staff. The report must (1) include an analysis of available evidence and data related to such conditions and programs; and (2) assess whether there are duplicative goals and objectives among such grant programs.