House Introduces Improved School Counseling Bill

For more than 60 years, ACA has been at the forefront of supporting the establishment and enhancement of school counseling programs that provide students with the skills to face life’s challenges, deal with bullying, practice a respect for diversity, and having access to mental health services within school settings. ACA continues to advocate for the wellbeing of our nation’s children.

ACA’s 54,000 members, the world’s largest organized body of professional counselors, thank Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representative Katherine Clark (D-Mass) for their foresight and commitment to introduce a law that builds and improves upon the former Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP).  This new bill, known as H.R. 6775 seeks to “effectively staff the public elementary schools and secondary schools of the United States with school-based mental health services providers” and “would provide dedicated funding to states in order to decrease the student to school counselor ratios.”

This bill is similar to the former ESSCP that was funded under No Child Left Behind, a program that first saw funding in 2000. This competitive grant program was authorized for a single year at a time; and ACA successfully worked with Congress to ensure the program was reinstated each year. In fact, it was ACA who worked with Congress as far back as the mid-1970s to introduce the first Elementary School Counseling Demonstration Act.

 H.R. 6775 would provide:

• The establishment of two five-year renewable grant programs to staff elementary and secondary schools with school counselors, school psychologists and school social workers by providing federal grants to states to disburse to school districts:
  • Base allotment grants: State educational agencies would receive a grant on a proportional basis based on the number of elementary and secondary school students in each state. No state would receive less than $1 million for this grant.
  • Need-based grants: State educational agencies may apply, on a competitive basis, for additional funds through a need-based grant. States must provide matching funds in an amount equal to not less than one half of the additional grant amount. These grants are based on need for mental health service providers to achieve the recommended student-to-staff ratios for school counselors, school psychologists and school social workers.

In the old ESSCP, funding was distributed entirely through competitive grants, and a relatively few number of school districts received any of the annual grant money. The new program introduced by Sen. Merkley and Rep. Clark, would provide funding for all 50 states. Since matching funds are required under the need-based grants, states that receive the grants would be demonstrating a commitment to improving student mental health, wellness and safe and healthy learning environments for all students.

If you would like to be an agent for change and support ACA’s advocacy efforts please contact Dillon Harp at dharp@counseling.org to find out how you can make a difference.