H.R. 9513: Community Schools and Health Equity Act

This bill would create a federal grant program to help community schools expand or set up health services for students. The U.S. Department of Education would run the program, working with the Department of Health and Human Services, and would award grants on a competitive basis to eligible school systems or partnerships.

What the grants could pay for

Grant money could be used for a range of school-based and related services, including:

• Starting or expanding health services in schools, including partnerships with federally qualified health centers
• Hiring and training staff such as school nurses, mental health professionals, social workers, and community school coordinators
• Providing wraparound supports like nutrition assistance, housing referrals, family engagement, and legal services
• Programs aimed at social factors that affect student and family health
• Services tailored for English learners and immigrant families
• Trauma-informed practices and crisis response services
• Partnerships with colleges or universities to create health career pathways for students

Who would get priority

When deciding who receives grants, the Education Secretary would give priority to applicants that:

• Serve many low-income students
• Serve many English learners or students from immigrant families
• Show unmet health or mental health needs among students
• Are located in medically underserved areas or areas with too few health professionals
• Plan to work with federally qualified health centers or public health agencies

Administration, reporting, and privacy

The bill would require the Education and Health and Human Services departments to coordinate through a formal agreement to reduce paperwork and provide technical assistance.

Schools or other grantees would have to report each year on how the money was used, including:

• How many students were served
• Effects on health, attendance, and academic performance
• Data broken down, when possible, by income, race, ethnicity, and English learner status

The Education Secretary would also have to report to Congress within three years and every three years after that on how effective the program is and any best practices learned.

The bill says it would not change existing privacy protections under laws like FERPA or HIPAA.

Who could apply

Eligible applicants would include local school districts, groups of school districts, or partnerships between school districts and organizations such as community groups, federally qualified health centers, public health agencies, or colleges and universities.

Relevant Companies

None found