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July 25, 11:00AM-5:30PM EST

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July 26, 3:30PM-5:30PM EST

Advocacy Summit Resources

Post-Meeting Thank You Note Template

Each delegation only needs to send one thank you note per meeting.

Legislative Ask 1: Support the Mental Health Services for Students Act (H.R. 721/S. 1841)

FACTSHEET

What's the Problem?  

• Millions of students across the nation go to school every day with unmet mental or behavioral health needs. The pandemic has further increased these concerns, especially among already vulnerable populations of students.
• Schools are typically ideal settings for identifying students who may require mental health care and support. Students, particularly those from low-income and underrepresented populations—including in rural communities—are more likely to receive mental health services if they are offered at schools.
• However, gaps in access to school-based services continue, especially in under-resourced schools.

Sample Talking Points:   

• For many school districts, that do not have resources to employ on-site providers, community partnerships can be an extremely effective way to close gaps in service and advance health equity, including in mental and behavioral health.
• Training the entire school community—educators, students, and families—on recognizing signs of mental health concerns can help destigmatize mental illness and provide more timely intervention.
• By taking this kind of public health approach to mental health care, both in schools and in the community, the Mental Health Services for Students Act would help meet growing needs and addressing inequities in access to healthcare.

FAQs:  

• Are there examples of similar partnerships being successful? 
  This legislation is based on a pilot program already being implemented in the congressional district of the lead House co-sponsor, Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA-32). The program has been active since 2001 and is currently serving 35 local schools. The Mental Health Services for Students Act seeks to expand this model nationwide.
• Has this bill been brought up for a vote? 
  Yes, it passed the House on May 12, 2021 by a strong bipartisan vote of 349-74. It is currently pending in the Senate.
• What is the authorized appropriation for this bill?
  $200,000,000 for each of the first 5 fiscal years following the date of enactment of the Mental Health Services for Students Act.

Additional Resources: 

• State of Student Mental Health
• Fearing a ‘Second Pandemic’ of Student Trauma, School Leaders Are Doubling Down on Mental Health First Aid Training

Legislative Ask 2: Support the Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act (H.R. 3572/S. 1811)

FACTSHEET

What's the Problem?  

• As schools throughout the country shifted to virtual instruction due to COVID-19, students became isolated from their teachers, friends, and peers, causing varying levels of trauma and emotional distress. Evidence shows that the mental health of children and youth has deteriorated in this environment, including among those who did not previously demonstrate signs of a mental or behavioral health disorder.
• At the same time, shortages of school-based mental and behavioral health professionals, which were present prior to the pandemic, continue to persist. This is among all types of school-based providers, including school psychologists, counselors, and social workers.
• These access gaps are especially pronounced in disadvantaged communities, where school-based health centers are often an affordable option to address students’ physical and mental health. This includes rural schools, where such shortages are especially pronounced.

Sample Talking Points:   

• As educators work to mitigate the impacts of unprecedented levels of learning loss, improving the mental and emotional well-being of all students is a critical component of achieving that goal. Schools—especially those serving high numbers of low-income students, students of color, and rural students—must receive more support to address these needs by increasing and retaining diverse, culturally competent school-based professionals.
• Responding to the growing mental and emotional health needs of students cannot just be a temporary, COVID-centered response. Instead, federal policies must be sustainable and forward-thinking. The Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act, would provide schools serving disproportionately high levels of low-income students the ability to build long-term capacity to equitably address the mental and behavioral well-being of their students, which can have significantly positive impacts on their academic development and future success.
• The partnerships with institutions of higher education that this bill would create will build programs to train future generations of diverse graduate-level school-based mental health professionals to meet the needs of all students.

FAQs:  

• Does this approach have evidence of success? 
  Yes. In 2019, Congress directed the Department of Education to create a demonstration grant modeled off this legislation. The Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant program has since provided grants to 26 local education agencies to support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based mental health service providers for employment in schools.
• What would be deemed as a partnership eligible for funding? 
  A partnership between at least one low income local educational agency and at least one eligible institution of higher education. In areas where local educational agencies do not have a sufficient student population to support the placement of all participating graduate students, a state educational agency can enter a partnership.
• What is the authorized appropriation for this bill?
  $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 and for each succeeding fiscal year.

Additional Resources: 

• State of Student Mental Health
• Increasing School-Based Mental Health Services with a “Grow Your Own” School Psychology Program

Legislative Ask 3: Support the Comprehensive Mental Health in Schools Pilot Program Act (H.R. 3549)

FACTSHEET

What's the Problem?  

• A large amount of data exists showing the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on school-aged children. However, the pandemic has also presented a variety of educational challenges, including inequities in remote learning, which have caused significant levels of learning loss, especially among low-income students, rural students, students of color, and those with disabilities.
• As students return to classrooms—having experienced the trauma of the past 16 months and trying to cope with this new normal—for learning to be effective, schools will need to address both academic recovery and social and emotional needs in tandem.
• Throughout the pandemic, teachers voiced their concerns about both the social and emotional well-being of their students. They also expressed desire to receive training on how to address these concerns in their classrooms, both in-person and virtual. Professional development for educators on these issues improves educational outcomes and reduces the risk of suspension and expulsion.
• Many schools lack the resources to provide a comprehensive, school-wide approach to learning and student well-being.

Sample Talking Points:   

• The Comprehensive Mental Health in Schools Pilot Program Act acknowledges the critical role that psychology plays in educating our students and the necessity of incorporating core principles of psychological science into all aspects of the learning environment.
• It would help low-income schools ensure that their students, most of whom have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, receive access to comprehensive, school-wide support systems, which would enable them to meaningfully address both their students’ learning and overall well-being, create a more equitable educational experience, and set students up for future success.
• The pandemic and our national reckoning with race have provided an opportunity to reexamine how students are educated by recognizing that learning and student well-being are intrinsically linked. As schools “re-socialize” students back into physical classrooms, integrating social and emotional learning competencies, trauma-informed practices, and principles of motivation and engagement with academic achievement, while also cultivating safe, positive, and healthy school climates will be critical. A comprehensive, school-wide approach to learning and student well-being must be the standard going forward.

FAQs:  

• Is this funding only to be applied for increasing mental health services in schools?
  The purpose of this bill is to ensure a comprehensive, holistic, school-wide approach to student well-being and learning. While the funding can be used by schools to employ more mental and behavioral health professionals, it can also be used for other purposes to address the underlying issues the bill is looking to address. This includes instituting multi-tier interventions to help educators address academic and behavioral needs, providing teachers with professional development to integrate social and emotional learning and trauma-informed competencies into their teaching, and instituting policies that eradicate punitive disciplinary practices.
• Has this bill been introduced in both the House and Senate? 
  Currently, there is only a House version.
• What is the authorized appropriation for this bill?
  $20,000,000, for fiscal year 2022, to be available until expended.

Additional Resources: 

• Comprehensive Mental Health Services in Schools 
• Damage to Children’s Education — And Their Health — Could Last a Lifetime

Pre-Summit Issue Briefing and Talking Points Q&A Session

APA Action on Legislative Asks

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I prepare for the Summit?

All information for the Summit, including our legislative requests, fact sheets, agenda, and participant list can be found on this Summit action center. If you are not seeing the information you are looking for, please check back later - this page will be updated as we receive more information. 

If you are new to advocacy or would like a refresher, please watch APA’s Federal Advocacy for Psychology video.

Do I have to schedule my Hill visits for July 26?

No. Our partner, Soapbox Consulting, is handling all scheduling for legislative hill visits for July 26.

When will I get by schedule from Soapbox?

All Hill Day schedules will be emailed to you by Soapbox at the latest 12pm EDT on Thursday, July 22. On the “Meeting Roster” button next to each meeting, you can find the names and email addresses of your fellow advocates for each meeting so you can reach out in advance to introduce yourselves.

What if I can no longer make the July 26 Hill visits?

Please contact us at advocacy@apa.org as soon as possible so we may remove you from the congressional meeting schedule.

What platform is the Summit utilizing?

The Advocacy Summit will be hosted on Zoom. Please ensure that you have the most current Zoom version (5.6.3) by downloading the recent client for meetings here.

How can I attend the Summit?

All participants may join the Advocacy Summit via zoom at 11am EDT on July 25. A link will be provided shortly.

What is the program for the Summit?

The program for the Summit will be provided soon. Please check back here for updates; it will be linked to the top of this page when it is available.

How can I attend the Summit’s debriefing session?

All participants may join the Summit’s debriefing session on Monday, July 26, between 3:30pm and 5:30pm EDT via Zoom.