2022: Schweikert Voted Against Authorizing New Grant Programs For School-Based Mental Health Services, Which Would Have Increased The Number Of School-Based Mental Health Professionals, Enhanced Access To Mental Health Services For Students, And Allowed The Labor Department To Enforce An Existing Law Regarding Parity In Health Insurance Coverage For Mental Health. In September 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert voted against the Mental Health Matters Act, which would "authorize new grant programs to improve access to school-based mental health services. The bill would authorize $200 million annually for Education Department five-year grants to support partnerships between institutions of higher education that offer degrees related to school-based mental health and high-need local school districts to increase the number of school-based mental health service providers, including for salaries of recent graduates working in schools; preparation programs to expand pathways to state licensure or certification; and developing coursework focused on assisting specific student populations, such as English learners, children of servicemembers, LGBTQ+ students, and victims of violence or human trafficking. It would also authorize $5 billion for fiscal 2023 for state grants, with a 20 percent state match rate, to local school districts to recruit and retain school-based mental health services providers at high-need schools; a total of $100 million through fiscal 2032 for Health and Human Services Department grants to Head Start agencies to implement interventions, best practices and staff training that improve child behavioral health; and $50 million annually through fiscal 2027 for HHS grants to educational agencies to increase student access to evidence-based trauma support and mental health services. Among other provisions, the bill would require postsecondary schools to accept certain previously developed documentation as sufficient documentation of disability for the provision of reasonable accommodations and authorize additional funding for the national center to support postsecondary students with disabilities. It would also authorize a total of $275 million through fiscal 2032 for the Labor Department to enforce existing law regarding parity in health insurance coverage for mental health; allow civil lawsuits against health insurers that violate such laws; and prohibit the inclusion of arbitration clauses and class action or representation waivers in employer-sponsored retirement plans." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 220-205. The Senate did not take substantive action on the bill. [House Vote 459, 9/29/22; Congressional Quarterly, 9/29/22; Congressional Actions, H.R. 7780]
The Bill Sought To Address Mental Health Concerns Among Students, Families And Educators Impacted By The Coronavirus Pandemic. According to The Hill, "The House passed a bill on Thursday that seeks to address mental health concerns among students, families and educators aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which lawmakers say had a 'severe impact' on those three groups. The bill, titled the Mental Health Matters Act, passed in a largely party-line 220-205 vote. One Republican, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), joined all Democrats present in supporting it." [The Hill, 9/29/22]
The Bill Would Have Provided Grants To Create A Pipeline For School-Based Mental Health Experts And Grown The Number Of Professionals At Elementary And Secondary Schools In High-Need Areas. According to The Hill, "The legislation, if passed by the Senate and signed into law, would provide grants to establish a pipeline for school-based mental health service professionals. Additionally, it would grow the number of mental health experts at elementary and secondary schools that are based in high-need locations." [The Hill, 9/29/22]
The Bill Would Have Directed The Education Department To Administer Grants To State Educational Agencies For Recruitment And Retainment Of School-Based Mental Health Service Providers And Public Schools. According to The Hill, "The measure would direct the Department of Education to allocate those grants. The Department of Education would also be ordered to administer grants to state educational agencies to go towards recruiting and maintaining school-based mental health service providers at public elementary and secondary schools that are considered high need." [The Hill, 9/29/22]
The Bill Would Have Required For Disability Accommodations For Students At Universities And Colleges And Established A Grant Program To Increase Access To Evidence-Based Trauma Support And Mental Health Services For Students. According to The Hill, "The legislation also mandates that disability accommodations be available to incoming students at higher education institutions if they have documents outlining their disability, and it establishes a grant program to bolster access for students to evidence-based trauma support and mental health services through projects that connect schools and local education agencies with trauma-informed assistance and mental health systems." [The Hill, 9/29/22]
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R) Took Issue With The Provision That Permitted The Labor Secretary To Impose Civil Penalties On Sponsors Of Health Plans And Administrators Of Group Health Plans If They Failed To Fulfill Parity Requirements Regarding Mental Health. According to The Hill, "Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.), the top Republican on the Education and Labor Committee, said the 'country would be better off without' the legislation on the floor. She specifically took issue with the provision that allows the Labor Department secretary to levy civil monetary penalties on sponsors of plans and administrators of group health plans if they do not fulfill parity requirements regarding mental health." [The Hill, 9/29/22]
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R) Argued That Providing The Labor Department With The Ability To Impose Civil Monetary Penalties Against Health Plans And Increase The Threat Of Litigation Would Only Coerce Plans To Drop Mental Health Coverage. According to The Hill, "'Providing [the Department of Labor] with the authority to level civil monetary penalties against plans and increase their risk of litigation will only force plans to drop mental health coverage,' Foxx argued. 'This money would be better spent on compliance assistance instead of targeting employers based on ambiguous standards,' she added." [The Hill, 9/29/22]