I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3771 To establish a multiagency Middle School Mental Health Task Force at the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 31, 2023 Mr. KEAN of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently de- termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To establish a multiagency Middle School Mental Health Task Force at the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Health Minds for a 4 Better Future Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. MIDDLE SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE. 6 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established a multi- 7 agency Middle School Mental Health Task Force (referred 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:05 Jun 21, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3771.IH H3771 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 3771 IH to in this section as the ‘‘Task Force’’) at the Department 1 of Education and the Department of Health and Human 2 Services to study and survey the resources that are avail- 3 able to parents and educators to identify and help middle- 4 school aged students that may be experiencing mental 5 health issues. 6 (b) MEMBERS.— 7 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Task Force established 8 under subsection (a) shall consist of 12 members in- 9 cluding— 10 (A) the Secretary of Education; 11 (B) the Secretary of Health and Human 12 Services; 13 (C) a representative of an association of 14 school administration relating to middle school 15 or high schools appointed by the Secretary of 16 Education; 17 (D) a representative of an association 18 working for childhood mental health appointed 19 by the Secretary of Education; 20 (E) one school counselor or educator from 21 each United States region, including— 22 (i) the Northeastern region (consisting 23 of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:05 Jun 21, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3771.IH H3771 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 3771 IH York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Con- 1 necticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey); 2 (ii) the Midwestern region (consisting 3 of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Mis- 4 souri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, 5 North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and 6 Iowa); 7 (iii) the Western region (consisting of 8 Montana, Washington, Oregon, California, 9 Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Ne- 10 vada, Wyoming, Idaho, Alaska, and Ha- 11 waii); and 12 (iv) the Southern region (consisting of 13 Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, 14 Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, 15 South Carolina, North Carolina, Ten- 16 nessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Mary- 17 land, Delaware, and Virginia); and 18 (F) one parent of a middle school student 19 (from a public or private secondary school) 20 from each region listed in subparagraphs (A) 21 through (D) of paragraph (6). 22 (2) APPLICATION PROCESS.—Each member of 23 the Task Force described in subparagraphs (E) and 24 (F) of paragraph (1) shall be selected through an 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:05 Jun 21, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3771.IH H3771 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 3771 IH annual application process determined by the Sec- 1 retary of Education. 2 (3) PROHIBITION ON COMPENSATION.—Each 3 member of the Task Force shall serve on the Task 4 Force without pay. 5 (4) LENGTH OF SERVICE.—Each member of 6 the Task Force shall serve on the Task Force for 2 7 calendar years. 8 (c) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Task 9 Force shall be elected by a majority vote of the members 10 of the Commission. The term of office of the Chairperson 11 may not exceed 2 years. 12 (d) MEETINGS.— 13 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Task Force shall meet 14 twice a year at the call of the Chairperson or the 15 majority of the members of the Task Force. 16 (2) QUORUM.—Three-fourths of the members of 17 the Task Force shall constitute a quorum but a less- 18 er number may hold hearings. 19 (e) PROHIBITION ON ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.— 20 The Task Force shall not be entitled to appoint additional 21 personnel. 22 (f) NO SUBPOENA POWER.—The Task Force may 23 not issue subpoenas. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:05 Jun 21, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3771.IH H3771 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 3771 IH (g) EXPERTS.—The Task Force may procure tem- 1 porary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of 2 title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals 3 not to exceed the annual rate of basic pay for GS–10 of 4 the General Schedule. 5 (h) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—To the extent or in the 6 amounts provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the 7 Task Force may contract with and compensate govern- 8 ment and private agencies or persons for certain services 9 relating to the work of the Task Force. 10 (i) STUDY AND ANNUAL REPORT.—The Task Force 11 shall— 12 (1) study that resources (including online plat- 13 forms, professional mental health services providers, 14 community mental health providers, and any other 15 tools or resources to address mental health) available 16 to secondary school educators (including educators 17 in the middle grades) and parents for helping a stu- 18 dent who is experiencing mental health issues; and 19 (2) submit to the Committee on Education and 20 the Workforce of the House of Representatives and 21 the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 22 Pensions of the Senate, an annual report on the re- 23 sults of the study conducted under paragraph (1). 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:05 Jun 21, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3771.IH H3771 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 3771 IH (j) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act, the terms ‘‘middle 1 grades’’ and ‘‘secondary school’’ have the meanings given 2 the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Sec- 3 ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:05 Jun 21, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3771.IH H3771 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS