Reps. Chu, Fitzpatrick Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Access to Mental Health in Schools

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced the bipartisan Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act, legislation that would help ensure every K–12 student has access to mental health support at school.

School-based mental health professionals, including school counselors, psychologists, and social workers, play an essential role in supporting students’ well-being, academic achievement, and safety. Yet schools across the country are facing severe shortages of these professionals. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recommends a ratio of no more than 1 school psychologist for every 500 students, but the current national average is nearly 1 for every 1,400 students. In many low-income communities, the gap is even wider, leaving students without critical services.

The Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act would strengthen the pipeline of school-based mental health professionals by creating new opportunities for schools to recruit, train, and retain qualified staff. Specifically, the bill would: 

• Establish a grant program to support partnerships between colleges or universities and low-income school districts to facilitate the training and placement of more mental health professionals in the underserved communities that need them most.
• Create a targeted student loan forgiveness program for mental health professionals who commit to working at least five years in a low-income school district.
• Require the Department of Education to study and identify regions across the country with shortages of school mental health professionals to help guide future investments.

“Every child deserves the chance to learn and feel supported, but that can become a challenge when schools lack the mental health professionals that students rely on,” said Rep. Chu. “As the only psychologist in Congress and a former educator, I know firsthand how essential these services are. This bill would close critical gaps by helping low-income school districts recruit and retain counselors, psychologists, and social workers. By strengthening the mental health workforce in our schools, we can improve student success, enhance school safety, and ensure the well-being of all our students.” 

“In every conversation I have across PA-1—from a guidance office in Bristol to a parent meeting in Quakertown—I hear the same urgent plea: our kids need more mental-health support in their schools,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, I’ve made expanding early, school-based care a top priority because the need is real and the consequences are serious. The Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act builds the workforce, supports our educators, and ensures every child in our community, and nationwide, has reliable access to the mental-health support they need and deserve.”

“The National Association of School Psychologists is proud to endorse the Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act, which will increase students’ access to highly qualified school psychologists and other school-based mental health professionals to ensure they have the support they need to thrive,” said Shawna Rader Kelly, President of the National Association of School Psychologists. “This legislation will help address pervasive workforce shortages that have limited students’ and families’ access to school-based mental and behavioral health supports at a time when these services are greatly needed. We appreciate Congresswoman Chu and Congressman Fitzpatrick for their continued leadership to address issues affecting children and youth, and support school psychologists throughout the United States.”

“The American Psychological Association applauds Representatives Chu and Fitzpatrick for introducing the Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act that aims to address the longstanding shortages of mental health professionals, including school-psychologists, that continue nationwide,” said American Psychological Association CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD. “As the mental health needs of many of our nation’s youth persist, school-based mental health services are critical, including through a focus on prevention and early intervention. By ensuring a strong school-based mental health workforce is ready to address the well-being of all students, this bipartisan legislation will be key to these efforts.”

The Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act is originally cosponsored by 26 House Members, including: Reps. Don Bacon, Shontel Brown, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Angie Craig, Madeleine Dean, Rosa DeLauro, Mark DeSaulnier, Dwight Evans, Jesús (Chuy) García, Josh Gottheimer, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Stephen Lynch, April McClain Delaney, Jennifer McClellan, Robert Menendez, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Jimmy Panetta, Chellie Pingree, Delia Ramirez, Eric Sorensen, Darren Soto, Marilyn Strickland, Shri Thanedar, Bennie Thompson, Jill Tokuda, and George Whitesides.

Click here to read the full bill text. 

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