text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Mental Health on Campus Improvement 
  Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress makes the following findings:
              (1) The 2007 National Survey of Counseling Center Directors 
          found that the average ratio of counselors to students on 
          campus is nearly 1 to 2,000 and is often far higher on large 
          campuses. The International Association of Counseling Services 
          accreditation standards recommend 1 counselor per 1,000 to 
          1,500 students.
              (2) College counselors report that 8.5 percent of enrolled 
          students sought counseling in the past year, totaling an 
          estimated 1,600,000 students.
              (3) Over 90 percent of counseling directors believe there 
          is an increase in the number of students coming to campus with 
          severe psychological problems. The majority of counseling 
          directors report concerns that the demand for services is 
          growing without an increase in resources.
              (4) A 2008 American College Health Association survey 
          revealed that 43 percent of students at colleges and 
          universities report having felt so depressed it was difficult 
          to function, and one out of every 11 students seriously 
          considered suicide within the past year.
              (5) Research conducted between 1989 and 2002 found that 
          students seen for anxiety disorders doubled, for depression 
          tripled, and for serious suicidal intention tripled.
              (6) Many students who need help never receive it. 
          Counseling directors report that, of the students who committed 
          suicide on their campuses, only 22 percent were current or 
          former counseling center clients. Directors did not know the 
          previous psychiatric history of 60 percent of those students.
              (7) A survey conducted by the University of Idaho Student 
          Counseling Center in 2000 found that 77 percent of students who 
          responded reported that they were more likely to stay in school 
          because of counseling and that their school performance would 
          have declined without counseling.
              (8) A 6-year longitudinal study of college students found 
          that personal and emotional adjustment was an important factor 
          in retention and predicted attrition as well as, or better 
          than, academic adjustment (Gerdes & Mallinckrodt, 1994).
  
  SEC. 3. IMPROVING MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
  
      Title V of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting 
  after section 520E-2 (42 U.S.C. 290bb-36b) the following:
  
  ``SEC. 520E-3. GRANTS TO IMPROVE MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ON 
                COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
  
      ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section, with respect to 
  college and university settings, to--
              ``(1) increase access to mental and behavioral health 
          services;
              ``(2) foster and improve the prevention of mental and 
          behavioral health disorders, and the promotion of mental 
          health;
              ``(3) improve the identification and treatment for students 
          at risk;
              ``(4) improve collaboration and the development of 
          appropriate levels of mental and behavioral health care;
              ``(5) reduce the stigma for students with mental health 
          disorders and enhance their access to mental health services; 
          and
              ``(6) improve the efficacy of outreach efforts.
      ``(b) Grants.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator and 
  in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall award 
  competitive grants to eligible entities to improve mental and 
  behavioral health services and outreach on college and university 
  campuses.
      ``(c) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
  subsection (b), an entity shall--
              ``(1) be an institution of higher education (as defined in 
          section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
          1001)); and
              ``(2) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
          in such manner, and containing such information as the 
          Secretary may require, including the information required under 
          subsection (d).
      ``(d) Application.--An application for a grant under this section 
  shall include--
              ``(1) a description of the population to be targeted by the 
          program carried out under the grant, the particular mental and 
          behavioral health needs of the students involved, and the 
          Federal, State, local, private, and institutional resources 
          available for meeting the needs of such students at the time 
          the application is submitted;
              ``(2) an outline of the objectives of the program carried 
          out under the grant;
              ``(3) a description of activities, services, and training 
          to be provided under the program, including planned outreach 
          strategies to reach students not currently seeking services;
              ``(4) a plan to seek input from community mental health 
          providers, when available, community groups, and other public 
          and private entities in carrying out the program;
              ``(5) a plan, when applicable, to meet the specific mental 
          and behavioral health needs of veterans attending institutions 
          of higher education;
              ``(6) a description of the methods to be used to evaluate 
          the outcomes and effectiveness of the program; and
              ``(7) an assurance that grant funds will be used to 
          supplement, and not supplant, any other Federal, State, or 
          local funds available to carry out activities of the type 
          carried out under the grant.
      ``(e) Special Considerations.--In awarding grants under this 
  section, the Secretary shall give special consideration to applications 
  that describe programs to be carried out under the grant that--
              ``(1) demonstrate the greatest need for new or additional 
          mental and behavioral health services, in part by providing 
          information on current ratios of students to mental and 
          behavioral health professionals;
              ``(2) propose effective approaches for initiating or 
          expanding campus services and supports using evidence-based 
          practices;
              ``(3) target traditionally underserved populations and 
          populations most at risk;
              ``(4) where possible, demonstrate an awareness of, and a 
          willingness to, coordinate with a community mental health 
          center or other mental health resource in the community, to 
          support screening and referral of students requiring intensive 
          services;
              ``(5) identify how the college or university will address 
          psychiatric emergencies, including how information will be 
          communicated with families or other appropriate parties; and
              ``(6) demonstrate the greatest potential for replication 
          and dissemination.
      ``(f) Use of Funds.--Amounts received under a grant under this 
  section may be used to--
              ``(1) provide mental and behavioral health services to 
          students, including prevention, promotion of mental health, 
          screening, early intervention, assessment, treatment, 
          management, and education services relating to the mental and 
          behavioral health of students;
              ``(2) provide outreach services to notify students about 
          the existence of mental and behavioral health services;
              ``(3) educate families, peers, faculty, staff, and 
          communities to increase awareness of mental health issues;
              ``(4) support student groups on campus that engage in 
          activities to educate students, reduce stigma surrounding 
          mental and behavioral disorders, and promote mental health 
          wellness;
              ``(5) employ appropriately trained staff;
              ``(6) expand mental health training through internship, 
          post-doctorate, and residency programs;
              ``(7) develop and support evidence-based and emerging best 
          practices, including a focus on culturally and linguistically 
          appropriate best practices; and
              ``(8) evaluate and disseminate best practices to other 
          colleges and universities.
      ``(g) Duration of Grants.--A grant under this section shall be 
  awarded for a period not to exceed 3 years.
      ``(h) Evaluation and Reporting.--
              ``(1) Evaluation.--Not later than 18 months after the date 
          on which a grant is received under this section, the eligible 
          entity involved shall submit to the Secretary the results of an 
          evaluation to be conducted by the entity concerning the 
          effectiveness of the activities carried out under the grant and 
          plans for the sustainability of such efforts.
              ``(2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
          enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the 
          appropriate committees of Congress a report concerning the 
          results of--
                      ``(A) the evaluations conducted under paragraph 
                  (1); and
                      ``(B) an evaluation conducted by the Secretary to 
                  analyze the effectiveness and efficacy of the 
                  activities conducted with grants under this section.
      ``(i) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide technical 
  assistance to grantees in carrying out this section.
      ``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
  appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
  
  ``SEC. 520E-4. MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ON 
                COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
  
      ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to increase 
  access to, and reduce the stigma associated with, mental health 
  services so as to ensure that college students have the support 
  necessary to successfully complete their studies.
      ``(b) National Public Education Campaign.--The Secretary, acting 
  through the Administrator and in collaboration with the Director of the 
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall convene an 
  interagency, public-private sector working group to plan, establish, 
  and begin coordinating and evaluating a targeted public education 
  campaign that is designed to focus on mental and behavioral health on 
  college campuses. Such campaign shall be designed to--
              ``(1) improve the general understanding of mental health 
          and mental health disorders;
              ``(2) encourage help-seeking behaviors relating to the 
          promotion of mental health, prevention of mental health 
          disorders, and treatment of such disorders;
              ``(3) make the connection between mental and behavioral 
          health and academic success; and
              ``(4) assist the general public in identifying the early 
          warning signs and reducing the stigma of mental illness.
      ``(c) Composition.--The working group under subsection (b) shall 
  include--
              ``(1) mental health consumers, including students and 
          family members;
              ``(2) representatives of colleges and universities;
              ``(3) representatives of national mental and behavioral 
          health and college associations;
              ``(4) representatives of college health promotion and 
          prevention organizations;
              ``(5) representatives of mental health providers, including 
          community mental health centers; and
              ``(6) representatives of private- and public-sector groups 
          with experience in the development of effective public health 
          education campaigns.
      ``(d) Plan.--The working group under subsection (b) shall develop a 
  plan that shall--
              ``(1) target promotional and educational efforts to the 
          college age population and individuals who are employed in 
          college and university settings, including the use of 
          roundtables;
              ``(2) develop and propose the implementation of research-
          based public health messages and activities;
              ``(3) provide support for local efforts to reduce stigma by 
          using the National Mental Health Information Center as a 
          primary point of contact for information, publications, and 
          service program referrals; and
              ``(4) develop and propose the implementation of a social 
          marketing campaign that is targeted at the college population 
          and individuals who are employed in college and university 
          settings.
      ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
  appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this 
  section.''.
  
  SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON COLLEGE MENTAL HEALTH.
  
      (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section, pursuant to 
  Executive Order 13263 (and the recommendations issued under section 
  6(b) of such Order), to provide for the establishment of a College 
  Campus Task Force under the Federal Executive Steering Committee on 
  Mental Health, to discuss mental and behavioral health concerns on 
  college and university campuses.
      (b) Establishment.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
  (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a 
  College Campus Task Force (referred to in this section as the ``Task 
  Force''), under the Federal Executive Steering Committee on Mental 
  Health, to discuss mental and behavioral health concerns on college and 
  university campuses.
      (c) Membership.--The Task Force shall be composed of a 
  representative from each Federal agency (as appointed by the head of 
  the agency) that has jurisdiction over, or is affected by, mental 
  health and education policies and projects, including--
              (1) the Department of Education;
              (2) the Department of Health and Human Services;
              (3) the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
              (4) such other Federal agencies as the Administrator of the 
          Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and 
          the Secretary jointly determine to be appropriate.
      (d) Duties.--The Task Force shall--
              (1) serve as a centralized mechanism to coordinate a 
          national effort--
                      (A) to discuss and evaluate evidence and knowledge 
                  on mental and behavioral health services available to, 
                  and the prevalence of mental health illness among, the 
                  college age population of the United States;
                      (B) to determine the range of effective, feasible, 
                  and comprehensive actions to improve mental and 
  
                  behavioral health on college and university campuses;
                      (C) to examine and better address the needs of the 
                  college age population dealing with mental illness;
                      (D) to survey Federal agencies to determine which 
                  policies are effective in encouraging, and how best to 
                  facilitate outreach without duplicating, efforts 
                  relating to mental and behavioral health promotion;
                      (E) to establish specific goals within and across 
                  Federal agencies for mental health promotion, including 
                  determinations of accountability for reaching those 
                  goals;
                      (F) to develop a strategy for allocating 
                  responsibilities and ensuring participation in mental 
                  and behavioral health promotions, particularly in the 
                  case of competing agency priorities;
                      (G) to coordinate plans to communicate research 
                  results relating to mental and behavioral health 
                  amongst the college age population to enable reporting 
                  and outreach activities to produce more useful and 
                  timely information;
                      (H) to provide a description of evidence-based best 
                  practices, model programs, effective guidelines, and 
                  other strategies for promoting mental and behavioral 
                  health on college and university campuses;
                      (I) to make recommendations to improve Federal 
                  efforts relating to mental and behavioral health 
                  promotion on college campuses and to ensure Federal 
                  efforts are consistent with available standards and 
                  evidence and other programs in existence as of the date 
                  of enactment of this Act; and
                      (J) to monitor Federal progress in meeting specific 
                  mental and behavioral health promotion goals as they 
                  relate to college and university settings;
              (2) consult with national organizations with expertise in 
          mental and behavioral health, especially those organizations 
          working with the college age population; and
              (3) consult with and seek input from mental health 
          professionals working on college and university campuses as 
          appropriate.
      (e) Meetings.--
              (1) In general.--The Task Force shall meet at least 3 times 
          each year.
              (2) Annual conference.--The Secretary shall sponsor an 
          annual conference on mental and behavioral health in college 
          and university settings to enhance coordination, build 
          partnerships, and share best practices in mental and behavioral 
          health promotion, data collection, analysis, and services.
      (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
  appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
target: Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to award grants to eligible institutions of higher education to improve mental and behavioral health services and outreach on college and university campuses.
  
  Directs the Secretary to give special consideration to programs that: (1) demonstrate the greatest need; (2) propose effective approaches for initiating or expanding campus services; (3) target underserved and at-risk populations; (4) coordinate with a community mental health center or other community mental health resources; (5) identify how the college or university will address psychiatric emergencies; and (6) demonstrate the greatest potential for replication and dissemination.
  
  Allows the Secretary to provide technical assistance to grantees.
  
  Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator, to convene an interagency, public-private sector working group to plan, establish, and begin coordinating and evaluating a targeted public education campaign that is designed to focus on mental and behavioral health on college campuses.
  
  Requires the Secretary to establish the College Campus Task Force to discuss mental and behavioral health concerns on college and university campuses.
feat_title: To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve mental and behavioral health services on college campuses.