Update on HR 744: “Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and
Staff Act of 2023.”
WSO DKG passed a resolution in 2022 to advocate for legislation to improve mental health services
for educators and other school staff. At the same time, the DKG U.S. Forum passed a similar resolution.
Work by Oregon and Washington members resulted in a bill (H.R. 744) being introduced to Congress in
February 2023 by Oregon Representative Suzanne Bonamici. The bill was referred to the House
Subcommittee on Health. Since then, Representative Bonamici has been successfully working on
obtaining bi-partisan support for the bill known as “Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff
Act of 2023.”
In July 2023, a companion bill (S. 2530) was introduced to the Senate by Senator Robert Casey of
Pennsylvania. It has been referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
In early October, we were informed that Representative Derek Kilmer of the Washington 6 th
Congressional District has become a co-sponsor of H.R. 744. Progress is being made, albeit slowly.
H.R. 744 established grants and requires other activities to improve the mental health of education
professionals and other school staff. It calls for a campaign to encourage staff to seek support and
treatment and will help reduce the stigma associated with getting help. It also calls for the dissemination
of best practices to prevent suicide and improve mental health resiliency for educators and other
school staff.
“ While this bill is not generously funded ($10M), it is a step in the right direction in that it recognizes
the need to provide mental health support to educators and it promotes the dissemination of best
practices for building resiliency,” according to Pat Bennett-Forman, WSO representative to the U.S.
Forum and a member of the Forum task force on mental health. “These bills are an important first step,”
she added, “but in order to get them passed into legislation, our members will need to step up in terms
of contacting their Congressional representatives.”
Bennett-Forman outlined several opportunities that interested members could take to promote the
legislation, including: (1) contacting Congressional Representatives to have them become co-sponsors
and to encourage them to help move this bill to the vote; (2) writing our senators in favor of S. 2530,
urging its passage; (3) writing our elected officials who have signed on to thank them for their support.
A complete list of co-sponsors and information about the bill may be found at the Congress web site:
www.congress.gov. This web site will also allow one to identify your district and the name of your
representative so that they may be contacted via email. All you have to do is enter your address, click on
the name of your representative and, under contact me, click on send an email.
Bennett-Forman and other members of the Washington State Education Policy and Legislation
committee would be happy to assist members with samples of communications and other assistance for
contacting legislators. She can be reached at p.bennettformandkgwa@gmail.com.
HR 4259
A recent bill, H.R. 4259, introduced by Rep. Marcus Molinaro from New York was approved 39-0 by the House Committee on Education and Workforce mark-up and now goes to the floor of the US House for consideration. Schools would be required to notify parents of students with disabilities that they can invite people with additional knowledge or expertise to participate in individualized education program meetings under the proposed Think Differently about Education Act. IEP members invited by parents can include people who know the child or who have special expertise about that child’s special education services.
CHRONIC ABSENCES A MAJOR CONCERN
The percentage of chronically absent public-school students nearly doubled from 15% in the 2018-19 school year to around 30% in 2021-22, following the pandemic, according to a recent study that collected administrative data from 40 states and the District of Columbia. The data accounts for over 92% of K-12 public school students in the United States. This data is worrisome in light of declining test scores.
The report came on the same day as an Education Department announcement including initiatives to bolster state and district efforts to tackle absenteeism. The department cited evidence-based practices to drive attendance increases, like home-visiting and texting parents.
Press Release from the U.S. Census Bureau.
SEPT. 12, 2023 — The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that real median household income in 2022 fell in comparison to 2021. The official poverty rate of 11.5% was not statistically different between 2021 and 2022. The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) rate in 2022 was 12.4%, an increase of 4.6 percentage points from 2021. This is the first increase in the overall SPM poverty rate since 2010. Meanwhile, 92.1% of the U.S. population had health insurance coverage for all or part of 2022 (compared to 91.7% in 2021). An estimated 25.9 million or 7.9% of people did not have health insurance at any point during 2022, according to the 2023 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC). That compares to 27.2 million or 8.3% of people who did not have health insurance at any point during 2021.
An Important Update from Pat Bennett-Forman, Past President of Washington State Organization, and an active member of the US Forum Mental health Subcommittee
Although the US Forum does not advocate nor endorse specific candidates, in light of the Mental Health resolution, passed at the 7/10/2022 US Forum meeting in New Orleans, we want to update you on current legislation that addresses our goals and encourage you to take action if you so choose.
HR 744 Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act of 2023 was referred to the House Subcommittee on Health (from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Education and the Workforce) in February 2023. See the attached summary of the bill. Between February and June 2023, the bill has acquired 10 co-sponsors. But it has not moved out of committee to the larger Committee nor on to the House floor for a vote. See the attachment for a summary of HR 744.
In further good news, the Senate has also just introduced a companion bill S. 2530 on 7-26-23 by Senator Robert P. Casey (PA) that is the parallel bill to HR 744. Similar encouragement needs to go to your senators.
If you wish to to write their Congressional representatives asking them
(1) to co-sponsor the bill
(2) to urge its swift passage into law.
Please do so on your own behalf. The Forum informs but is nonpolitical and unbiased.
If your representative is already a co-sponsor, you may choose to write a thank you and urge them to push to have it sent out of committee for a vote.
It is an unbiased position and nonpolitical for Congress members to hear about the needs of educators for mental health support from you . Educators and other school staff need to know that Congress is aware of their needs, and recognizes that stress and other mental health concerns are contributing to staffing shortages, and that Congress supports those educators. Congress took bi-partisan action in 2022 to pass the
Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (HR 1667) recognized the need to support the mental health of first responders. It is time to do the same for educators.
Feel free to use this fact box in your communications.
Fact Box: Mental Health in the Schools
· Educators are 3 times more likely to report symptoms of depression than other working adults (RAND)
Nearly ¾ of teachers and 85% of principals report frequent stress compared to 1/3 of other adults.
· K-12 educators are ranked as having the highest burnout levels of ANY profession - 44% compared to 30% (Gallop Workforce Survey)
Only 2% of teachers report their districts as offering extensive mental health supports (Merrimack)
EXCITING NEWS: MENTAL HEALTH Legislation FOR EDUCATORS AND STAFF IS IN COMMITTEE IN CONGRESS
Information on
H.R. 744 Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act of 2023
H.R. 1735: Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act
S.597 Social Security Fairness Act
H.R.82 Social Security Fairness Act of 2023
Current Federal Legislation (For the full text see congress.gov)
H.R.744 Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act of 2023
Sponsor: Bonamici, Suzanne [Rep.-D-OR-1] (Introduced 02/02/2023) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Education and the Workforce Latest
Action: House - 02/10/2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
This bill establishes grants and requires other activities to improve mental and behavioral health
among education professionals and other school staff.
H.R. 1735: Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act
Sponsor: Houlahan, Chrissy [Rep.-D-PA-6] (Introduced 03/23/2023) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology Latest Action: House -
05/16/2023 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 42. This bill is to coordinate
Federal research and development efforts focused on modernizing mathematics in
STEM education through mathematical and statistical modeling, including data-driven
and computational thinking, problem, project, and performance-based learning and
assessment, interdisciplinary exploration, and career connections, and for other
purposes.
S.597 Social Security Fairness Act :Sponsor: Brown, Sherrod [Sen.-D-
OH] (Introduced 03/01/2023) Cosponsors: (44) Committees: Senate – Finance Latest
Action: Senate - 03/01/2023 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
This bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals
who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government. The bill
eliminates the government pension offset, which in various instances
reduces Social Security benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive
government pensions of their own. The bill also eliminates the windfall elimination
provision, which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals
who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not
withhold Social Security taxes.
H.R.82 Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 : Sponsor: Graves, Garret [Rep.-R-LA-
6] (Introduced 01/09/2023) Cosponsors: (264)Committees: House - Ways and Means
Latest Action: House - 01/09/2023 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and
Means. This bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals
who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government. The bill
eliminates the government pension offset, which in various instances
reduces Social Security benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive
government pensions of their own. The bill also eliminates the windfall elimination
provision, which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals
who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not
withhold Social Security taxes.
May 25, 2022
Resolution: On Recognizing Mental Health Issues for Educational Staff and Promoting Support Services
Whereas, the DKG mission is to promote educational excellence through actions that advance the professional interest of women in education and inform members of current economic, social, political and educational issues so that they may participate effectively in a world society; and
Whereas, youth mental health issues have risen over the last decade to the point of having been declared “a national emergency”1for which U.S. Surgeon General Admiral Murthy has called for “a swift and coordinated response” 2; and
Whereas, the current state of mental health among children, youth and educators in this nation imperils goals for educational excellence and the professional interests of women educators; and
Whereas, mental health concerns are not restricted to students, though their needs are significant, but also impact school-based staff, administrators and school board members; and
Whereas, school-based services account for the sole treatment to over 35% of adolescents diagnosed with mental health disorders3 and 70-80% of services to students of color,4 the youth mental health crisis has placed increased demands on educators, resulting in over two-thirds feeling emotionally exhausted and noting negative impact on job performance5; and
Whereas, COVID precautions, school closures, on-line teaching, cancellation of extra-curricular and motivational activities, and other pandemic related demands have placed tremendous stress on educators, with data showing 37% of educators have generalized anxiety disorder symptoms as compared to pre-pandemic levels of 12%6; and
Whereas, 73% of teachers report frequent job-related stress compared to 40% of other working adults and 27% of educators have symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of clinical depression (compared to 10% of other adults)7; and
Whereas, only 6% of teachers received counseling support from their schools8 and only 16% report school or district mental health benefits as adequate9; and
Whereas, gun violence in schools continues to place mental and physical stress on educational staff (and students) with documented impact long after the actual tragedy resembling secondary traumatic stress and even post-traumatic stress disorder10; and
Whereas, the proliferation of misinformation and politicizing of curriculum decisions and instruction has led to a sharp increase in bullying, threats, assaults and other violence aimed at educators, administrators and school board officials11; and
May 25, 2022
Whereas, the cumulative effect of mental health stress has caused a significant rise in the number of educators considering leaving the profession with 57% of educators seriously worried about burnout12 and 53% thinking more about leaving the profession than they did before the pandemic13; and
Whereas, the decline in the number of available educators will have serious negative impacts on student achievement and well-being for years to come; and
Whereas, legislation has been introduced in both houses of Congress to increase mental health supports for students (HR721/SB1841; HR1475/S1795; HR4198, HR3572/S1811), but none has addressed such support for educators;
Therefore, be it
Resolved that the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S. Forum members (1) educate themselves on the issues and needs related to mental health for educational staff through study, workshops, and other avenues; and
Resolved that the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S. Forum members (2) inform members of current legislation related to mental health services for educators so that they may take appropriate actions; and
Resolved that the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S. Forum members (3) promote destigmatization of mental illness through dissemination of information on successful school-based treatment programs, supports and other resources; and
Resolved that the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S. Forum members (4) engage in a wide range of activities that demonstrate emotional support for educators;
Be it further resolved that the US Forum Steering Committee monitor implementation of the activities stated above and issue a report summarizing activities at the next US Forum meeting (2024).
May 25, 2022
References
1. American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP-AACAP-CHA Declaration of a National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, October 19, 2021. P. 2.
https://www.aap.org/en/advocacy/child-and-adolescent-healthy-mental . . .
2. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. “U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory on Youth Mental Health Crisis Further Exposed by COVID-19 Pandemic.” Press release, Dec. 7, 2021. P.1. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/12/07/us-surgeon-general-issues-advisory-on-youth- mental-health-crisis-further-exposed-by-COVID-19-pandemic.html. Viewed 2/23/22.
3. Golberstein, Ezra, Hefel Wen, and Benjamin F. Miller. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Mental Health for Children and Adolescents. Viewpoint. JAMA Pediatrics, September 2020, Vol. 174, #9.P. 819. https://jamanetwork.com. Viewed 2/23/2022.
4. Ledbetter, Sislena. Untitled. Western Washington University presentation to the Bellingham City Club, February 23, 2020.
5. Miller, Mira. “Teachers are Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis, Too. Verywellhealth. Updated January 25, 2022. P. 2.
https://verywellhealth.com/teachers-mental-health-crisis-pandemic. Viewed 2-25-2022.
6. CDC Foundation. “Mental Health Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Teachers and Parents of K-12 Students: Monitoring School COVID-19 Prevention Strategies Project: Triangulated Report.” May 2021. P. 17
7. CDC Foundation. P. 17.
8. _____, “We Need to Do More for Teachers Who Are Exhausted, Stressed, and Burned Out,” We Are Teachers, September 21, 2021. P. 1.
https://www.weareteachers.com/teacher-mental-health. Viewed 2-25-2022
9. Gerwertz, Catherine. “Teachers’ Mental Health Has Suffered in the Pandemic. Here’s How Districts Can Help.” Education Week, May 4, 2021. P. 5.
https://www.educationweek.org/leadership/teachers-mental-health-has-suffered-in-the- pandemic. Viewed 2-23-2022.
10. Smiley, Amanda. “Why School Wellness Isn’t Just for Kids: Many Teachers are Stressed and Depressed. February 7, 2020. P. 2. https://oshonline.com/Articles/2020/02/07/Why-School Wellness-Isnt-Just-For-Kids. Viewed 2-28-2022.
11. Smiley, p. 3
12. Gerwertz. P. 3.
13. CDC Foundation. P. 18.