2024 Council of Representatives Hill Day

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Request #1: Co-sponsor the Youth Mental Health Research Act (H.R. 5976/S. 3060) (factsheet)

Background

This bill authorizes $100 million a year for 5 years for new research initiatives in youth mental health. The funds would go to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for collaborative research with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). The research would focus on community prevention and intervention, mental health disparities, and improved treatment protocols to build resilience and more effectively address mental health problems in youth. 

Additional Resources

• Read this APA Council Resolution on Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health to learn how advances across broad areas of behavioral, social and neuroscience inform practice, programs, and policy in child and adolescent mental and behavioral health.

Sample Talking Points

• The Youth Mental Health Crisis is real and new tools are needed to help end it. 
• Although NIH has been well supported by Congress, NIMH and other institutes are only able to fund about 1 grant proposal in 5. Lots of good ideas are left on the table. 
• The evidence in “evidence-based treatment” comes from research. The current investment in youth mental health research is not large enough to get results fast enough to combat the crisis. 
• Consider that there are hundreds of apps in use now that purport to improve mental health or prevent problems, but that have not been validated, certainly not for different needs, populations or ages. Effective technology could help extend and complement the overworked and overburdened mental health workforce. This is an example of what sort of research is needed.    
• NIMH, NICHD and NIMHD together fund about $500 million in research annually on aspects of youth mental health (mostly NIMH). This bill would double that investment over the next five years if the full amount is appropriated. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is already a co-sponsor for this legislation?

House (45): Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Thomas Kean (R-PA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton(D-DC), David Trone (D-MD), Colin Allred (D-TX), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Becca Balint (D-VT), Josh Harder (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Richie Torres (D-NY), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY),  Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Troy Carter (D-LA), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Nydia Velasquez (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Luis Correa (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Dina Titus (D-NV), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Susan Wild (D-PA), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Ann Kuster (D-NH), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Emmanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Melanie Ann Stansbury (D-NM), Judy Chu (D-CA)

Senate: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL)

Where can I see the text of the bill?

View the text for the House bill (H.R. 5976) using this link.

View the text for the Senate bill (S. 3060) using this link.

Is this legislation too costly, especially at a time when some in Congress are looking to pare back funding?

The scope of the youth mental health crisis warrants a response from Congress that will meet the needs we continue to see. It cannot be resolved without more science-based information about those populations most affected, so that are we can effectively deploy the necessary preventive and/or clinical interventions. That is why robust investment in youth mental health research is so needed. Additionally, as an authorizing bill, this legislation only sets the parameters of the initiative. Decisions about how much to spend per year will be made through the appropriations process.

Would research on the effects of social media be included in this new research initiative?

Yes, both of the NIH institutes that fund research on youth and social media (NIMH and NICHD) will work collaboratively.  

Request #2: Support $341 million in FY25 for the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division to investigate and combat child labor violations (factsheet)

Background

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division enforces laws that establish minimum standards for wages and working conditions. This includes the federal child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which were enacted to protect the safety, health, and well-being of young people when they work, as well as maintain their access to educational opportunities.

Since 2018, child labor law violations have increased nearly 70 percent, and over the past 3 years, 14 states relaxed their child labor laws. After nearly a decade of flat funding, the Wage and Hour Division lacks the workforce needed to fully investigate child labor violations and implement child labor protection laws. 

Additional Resources

• Read this APA Council Resolution on Developmental Risks and Opportunities in Adolescent Employment to learn how APA is urging employers to establish safe working environments and work hours for adolescent employees in the wake of recent reports of youth being injured or killed due to unsafe job conditions.
• This Department of Labor factsheet provides general information about the Federal youth employment for nonagricultural occupations.
• Learn more about the Interagency Task Force to Combat Child Labor Exploitation using this link.

Sample Talking Points 

• Adolescence is a critical time for both development and educational opportunity, during which time young people’s experiences can shape their future. 
• Unsafe and exploitative working conditions can be harmful to children and adolescents in terms of their current and future health and well-being, educational success, and future socioeconomic advancement.
• Since 2018, child labor law violations have increased nearly 70 percent, while 14 states relaxed their child labor laws over the past three years.
• In the last year alone, 955 instances of child labor violations, resulting in over $8 million in penalties, were uncovered.
• Much of this disproportionately falls on migrant youth, youth living in poverty, youth of color, youth experiencing homelessness, and/or youth with developmental or physical disabilities. 
• Due to many years of flat funding, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, which is tasked with enforcing child labor laws, has seen a 15 percent reduction in its workforce. 
• Increased funding would allow the Wage and Hour Division to rebuild its workforce and improve the enforcement of child labor laws.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

What was the funding level the Wage and Hour Division received in FY24?  

Congress has not yet finished FY24 funding. It hopes to do so over the next several weeks. However, in FY23 the Wage and Hour Division was funded at $260 million. 

What was the President’s budget request for the Wage and Hour Division in FY24? 

The President requested $341 million for the Wage and Hour Division, which is the same as APA Services’ request for both FY24 and FY25.

How much of the overall funding for the Wage and Hour Division is specifically dedicated towards the enforcement of child labor laws?  

Neither Congressional appropriators nor the Department of Labor provide line items on how the Wage and Hour Division allocates its funding. However, both the House and Senate’s proposed FY24 appropriations bills included language directing the Wage and Hour Division to increase efforts to eradicate violations of child labor laws. The President’s FY24 budget request for the Department of Labor also calls out child labor as a top priority. Increasing the overall funding for the Wage and Hour Division will allow all of the activities within its jurisdiction, including enforcement of child labor laws, to receive more resources.  

Are there are other offices within the Department of Labor that have a role in child labor law enforcement?  

Yes, the Office of the Solicitor also enforces child labor laws and prosecutes employers that are exploiting child workers.

Are there any benefits to child and adolescent employment?  

Although gaps in data and research persist, there is evidence showing that under certain circumstances, adolescent employment can be beneficial in terms of the attainment of important skills such as time management, collaboration, and work ethic.

Are there any specific industries that are the largest violators of child labor laws?

According to the Department of Labor, child labor violations are most common in the restaurant, retail, construction and amusement industries, but recently there has also been an increase in violations in the auto manufacturing and meat processing industries.

Request #3: Support $30 million in FY25 for the Graduate Psychology Education Program (factsheet)

Background

The Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program is the nation’s primary federal program dedicated to the interprofessional education and training of doctoral-level health service psychologists. Established in 2002, GPE has the “two-for-one” benefit of supporting the interprofessional training of psychology graduate students and interns, while also expanding access to mental and behavioral health services for underserved populations in rural and urban communities. 

Additional Resources

• Read this APA Council Resolution on Advancing Health Equity in Psychology to learn more about APA's commitment toward advancing health equity in psychology.

Sample Talking Points for States with GPE Grants

• Increased investments to support our nation’s psychological health and emotional well-being are needed now more than ever, as current data shows that 122 million Americans live in what HRSA designates as Mental Health Shortage Area.
• Our state currently has [number] GPE grant(s) at [institution], which is supporting integrated training for psychology doctoral students and expanding access to mental and behavioral health services for underserved populations in [region of state].
• As you may know, there is a shortage of qualified mental health providers in our state, particularly in [rural/urban] areas. GPE funding is critical to increasing our state’s capacity to reduce health disparities and improve health care outcomes for high-need, underserved populations (e.g. older adults, children, individuals with chronic illness, veterans, victims of abuse, ethnic minority populations, and victims of natural disasters).
• The GPE program is currently funded at $25 million. Increased funding for GPE to $30 million in FY25 would strengthen current efforts to expand the psychology workforce.

Sample Talking Points for States without GPE Grants

• Increased investments to support our nation’s psychological health and emotional well-being are needed now more than ever, as current data shows that 122 million Americans live in what HRSA designates as Mental Health Shortage Area.
• As you may know, there is a shortage of qualified mental health providers in our state, particularly in [rural/urban] areas. Funding for GPE provides a critical mechanism that could help increase our state’s capacity to reduce health disparities and improve health care outcomes for high-need, underserved populations (e.g. older adults, children, individuals with chronic illness, veterans, victims of abuse, ethnic minority populations, and victims of natural disasters).
• Currently funded at $25 million, increased funding for GPE to $30 million in FY25 would strengthen current efforts to expand the psychology workforce by increasing opportunities for our state to apply for GPE funding.

Frequently Asked Questions:

A Congressional Office has asked us to fill out an FY25 Appropriations Request Form for GPE. What should I do?

All the information to fill out of an FY25 Appropriations Request Form for GPE can be found here. If you have any questions, please reach out to Alix Ginsberg at aginsberg@apa.org 

Q: What has GPE been funded at historically? 

Historical funding for GPE can be found at the bottom of this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I prepare for the Hill Day?

All information for the Hill Day, including our legislative requests, fact sheets, agenda, and participant list can be found on this Hill Day 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 February?

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

When will I get by schedule from Soapbox?

All Hill Day schedules will be emailed to you by Soapbox prior to the Hill Day on February 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 February 22 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 by downloading the recent client for meetings here.

How can I attend the virtual training session?

All participants may join the virtual training session via zoom at 6pm ET on February 13 by clicking this link. 

What is the program for the Hill Day?

The program for the Hill Day will be available soon.