Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Strengthening Supports for Youth Act”.
Strengthening Supports for Youth Act
A BILL
To establish a pilot program to address behavioral health needs among children, adolescents, and young adults, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Best practices for parents, caregivers, and families
In general— The Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use (referred to in this section as the “Assistant Secretary”) shall, within a relevant existing program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, carry out a pilot program under which the Assistant Secretary awards competitive grants to eligible entities to support parents, families, and caregivers in addressing behavioral health needs among children, adolescents, and young adults.
Eligible entities— In this section, the term eligible entity means—
a nonprofit organization with appropriate expertise in providing evidence-based or evidence-informed services or programs for children, adolescents, young adults, or families;
a nonprofit organization with an evidence-based or evidence-informed focus on mental health or substance use prevention, including such an organization with a focus on children, adolescents, young adults, or families who have lived experience of a mental health or substance use disorder;
a child welfare agency;
a family and youth homeless service provider;
a local educational agency (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801));
a State educational agency (as defined in such section 8101);
a State, a political subdivision of a State, or an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)); or
a high school or dormitory serving high school students that receives funding from the Bureau of Indian Education.
Use of funds— Grants awarded under subsection (a) shall be used by eligible entities to address behavioral health needs and bolster behavioral health support services for children, adolescents, and young adults by developing and disseminating evidence-based or evidence-informed best practices for parents, caregivers, and families related to—
identifying the early warning signs and reducing stigma of mental health and substance use disorder, suicidality, and suicide in children, adolescents, and young adults;
improving the general understanding of mental health and substance use disorder, suicidality, suicide, and behavioral health needs with respect to children, adolescents, and young adults, including how to provide positive childhood experiences that impact behavioral health outcomes and well-being;
connecting children, adolescents, and young adults with community-based behavioral health providers and trauma-informed crisis response services;
teaching help-seeking skills and behaviors;
fostering home environments that encourage behavioral health discussions;
administering a drug or device approved, cleared, or authorized under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) for emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose; and
promoting resiliency in children, adolescents, and young adults.
Evaluation and report—
Evaluation— The Assistant Secretary shall carry out an evaluation to measure the efficacy of the best practices under this section at the conclusion of the first grant cycle funded by the pilot program. The evaluation shall include, at a minimum, outcomes information from the pilot program, including any impact on—
knowledge and attitudes related to behavioral health with respect to children, adolescents, and young adults among participating parents, caregivers, and families;
behavioral health outcomes and well-being measures among participating children, adolescents, and young adults; and
help-seeking behaviors, including uptake of behavioral health treatment and trauma-informed crisis response services among participating children, adolescents, and young adults.
Report— Not later than 1 year after the end of the first grant cycle, the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the results of the evaluation conducted under paragraph (1).
Authorization of appropriations— For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2028.
Sec. 3 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study on peer support services for children, adolescents, and young adults
In general— Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use shall contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (referred to in this section as the “National Academies”) to conduct a study and report on evidence-based peer support services for children, adolescents, and young adults.
Study— The study and report pursuant to the contract under subsection (a) shall address—
the effectiveness of evidence-based peer support services for children, adolescents, and young adults in the prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery from mental health and substance use disorder, in comparison to other behavioral health interventions for that population;
whether current evidence-based peer support services available for children, adolescents, and young adults meet the need for such services, and whether such services could help meet the overall demand for behavioral health care;
the scope of behavioral health provider supervision of evidence-based peer support services for children, adolescents, and young adults, and professional development opportunities for peer support specialists;
the populations, including underserved populations, with access to evidence-based peer support services for children, adolescents, and young adults;
challenges associated with implementing or operating evidence-based peer support services for children, adolescents, and young adults, including children, adolescents, and young adults from underserved populations; and
Federal and State efforts to support the implementation and operation of evidence-based peer support services for children, adolescents, and young adults.
Report— Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Academies shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the study pursuant to subsection (a).