[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2215 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
2d Session
S. 2215
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide funds for campus
mental and behavioral health service centers.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 12, 2004
Mr. Reed (for himself, Mr. DeWine, Mrs. Clinton, and Mr. Smith)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide funds for campus
mental and behavioral health service centers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Campus Care and Counseling Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) In a recent report, a startling 85 percent of college
counseling centers revealed an increase in the number of
students they see with psychological problems. Furthermore, the
American College Health Association found that 61 percent of
college students reported feeling hopeless, 45 percent said
they felt so depressed they could barely function, and 9
percent felt suicidal.
(2) There is clear evidence of an increased incidence of
depression among college students. According to a survey
described in the Chronicle of Higher Education (February 1,
2002), depression among freshmen has nearly doubled (from 8.2
percent to 16.3 percent). Without treatment, researchers
recently noted that ``depressed adolescents are at risk for
school failure, social isolation, promiscuity, self medication
with drugs and alcohol, and suicide--now the third leading
cause of death among 10-24 year olds.''.
(3) Researchers who conducted the study ``Changes in
Counseling Center Client Problems Across 13 Years'' (1989-2001)
at Kansas State University stated that ``students are
experiencing more stress, more anxiety, more depression than
they were a decade ago.'' (The Chronicle of Higher Education,
February 14, 2003).
(4) According to the 2001 National Household Survey on Drug
Abuse, 20 percent of full-time undergraduate college students
use illicit drugs.
(5) The 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse also
reported that 18.4 percent of adults aged 18 to 24 are
dependent on or abusing illicit drugs or alcohol. In addition,
the study found that ``serious mental illness is highly
correlated with substance dependence or abuse. Among adults
with serious mental illness in 2001, 20.3 percent were
dependent on or abused alcohol or illicit drugs, while the rate
among adults without serious mental illness was only 6.3
percent.''.
(6) A 2003 Gallagher's Survey of Counseling Center
Directors found that 81 percent were concerned about the
increasing number of students with more serious psychological
problems, 67 percent reported a need for more psychiatric
services, and 63 percent reported problems with growing demand
for services without an appropriate increase in resources.
(7) The International Association of Counseling Services
accreditation standards recommend 1 counselor per 1,000 to
1,500 students. According to the 2003 Gallagher's Survey of
Counseling Center Directors, the ratio of counselors to
students is as high as 1 counselor per 2,400 students at
institutions of higher education with more than 15,000
students.
SEC. 3. MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ON CAMPUS.
Part B of title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1011 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 120 the following:
``SEC. 120A. MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ON CAMPUS.
``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to increase
access to, and enhance the range of, mental and behavioral health
services for students so as to ensure that college students have the
support necessary to successfully complete their studies.
``(b) Program Authorized.--From funds appropriated under subsection
(j), the Secretary shall award competitive grants to institutions of
higher education to create or expand mental and behavioral health
services to students at such institutions, to provide such services,
and to develop best practices for the delivery of such services. Such
grants shall, subject to the availability of such appropriations, be
for a period of 3 years.
``(c) Eligible Grant Recipients.--Any institution of higher
education that seeks to provide, or provides, mental and behavioral
health services to students is eligible to apply, on behalf of such
institution's treatment provider, for a grant under this section.
Treatment providers may include entities such as--
``(1) college counseling centers;
``(2) college and university psychological service centers;
``(3) mental health centers;
``(4) psychology training clinics;
``(5) institution of higher education supported, evidence-
based, mental health and substance abuse screening programs;
and
``(6) any other entity that provides mental and behavioral
health services to students at an institution of higher
education.
``(d) Applications.--Each institution of higher education seeking
to obtain a grant under this section shall submit an application to the
Secretary. Each such application shall include--
``(1) a description of identified mental and behavioral
health needs of students at the institution of higher
education;
``(2) a description of currently available Federal, State,
local, private, and institutional resources to address the
needs described in paragraph (1) at the institution of higher
education;
``(3) an outline of program objectives and anticipated
program outcomes, including an explanation of how the treatment
provider at the institution of higher education will coordinate
activities under this section with existing programs and
services;
``(4) the anticipated impact of funds provided under this
section in improving the mental and behavioral health of
students attending the institution of higher education;
``(5) outreach strategies, including ways in which the
treatment provider at the institution of higher education
proposes to reach students, promote access to services, and
address the range of needs of students;
``(6) a proposed plan for reaching those students most in
need of services;
``(7) a plan to evaluate program outcomes and assess the
services provided with funds under this section; and
``(8) such additional information as is required by the
Secretary.
``(e) Peer Review of Applications.--
``(1) Panel.--The Secretary shall provide the applications
submitted under this section to a peer review panel for
evaluation. With respect to each application, the peer review
panel shall recommend the application for funding or for
disapproval.
``(2) Composition of panel.--
``(A) In general.--The peer review panel shall be
composed of--
``(i) experts who are competent, by virtue
of their training, expertise, or experience, to
evaluate applications for grants under this
section; and
``(ii) mental and behavioral health
professionals and higher education
professionals.
``(B) Non-federal government employees.--A majority
of the members of the peer review panel shall be
individuals who are not employees of the Federal
Government.
``(3) Evaluation and priority.--The peer review panel
shall--
``(A) evaluate the applicant's proposal to improve
current and future mental and behavioral health at the
institution of higher education; and
``(B) give priority in recommending applications
for funding to proposals that--
``(i) provide direct service to students,
as described in subsection (f)(1);
``(ii) improve the mental and behavioral
health of students at institutions of higher
education with a counselor to student ratio
greater than 1 to 1,500; or
``(iii) will best serve students based on
the projected impact of the proposal on mental
and behavioral health at the institution of
higher education as well as the level of
coordination of other resources to aid in the
improvement of mental and behavioral health.
``(f) Use of Funds.--Funds provided by a grant under this section
may be used for 1 or more of the following activities:
``(1) Prevention, screening, early intervention,
assessment, treatment, management, and education of mental and
behavioral health problems of students enrolled at the
institution of higher education.
``(2) Education of families to increase awareness of
potential mental and behavioral health issues of students
enrolled at the institution of higher education.
``(3) Hiring appropriately trained staff, including
administrative staff.
``(4) Strengthening and expanding mental and behavioral
health training opportunities in internship and residency
programs, such as psychology doctoral and post-doctoral
training.
``(5) Supporting the use of evidence-based and emerging
best practices.
``(6) Evaluating and disseminating outcomes of mental and
behavioral health services so as to provide information and
training to other mental and behavioral health entities around
the Nation that serve students enrolled in institutions of
higher education.
``(g) Additional Required Elements.--Each institution of higher
education that receives a grant under this section shall--
``(1) provide annual reports to the Secretary describing
the use of funds, the program's objectives, and how the
objectives were met, including a description of program
outcomes;
``(2) perform such additional evaluation as the Secretary
may require, which may include measures such as--
``(A) increase in range of services provided;
``(B) increase in the quality of services provided;
``(C) increase in access to services;
``(D) college continuation rates;
``(E) decrease in college dropout rates; and
``(F) increase in college graduation rates; and
``(3) coordinate such institution's program under this
section with other related efforts on campus by entities
concerned with the mental, health, and behavioral health needs
of students.
``(h) Supplement Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided under this
section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, Federal and non-
Federal funds available for carrying out the activities described in
this section.
``(i) Limitations.--
``(1) Percentage limitations.--Not more than--
``(A) 5 percent of grant funds received under this
section shall be used for administrative costs; and
``(B) 20 percent of grant funds received under this
section shall be used for training costs.
``(2) Prohibition on use for construction or renovation.--
Grant funds received under this section shall not be used for
construction or renovation of facilities or buildings.
``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated for grants under this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year
2005 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding
fiscal years.''.
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