Rep. Flood Introduces Bill to Support College Students' Access to Mental Health Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Mike Flood (NE), joined by Rep. Don Bacon (NE) and Rep. Zach Nunn (IA), introduced the "College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act."

"It is no secret that mental health is one of the most urgent crises of our time, especially among young adults," said Congressman Flood. "Many colleges and universities include mental health care in their health service offerings to students. Current regulations, however, can prevent the continuation of these services when students are off campus and out of state. This bill simply allows students to maintain consistent access to their trusted providers throughout the year. That's why I'm pleased to introduce this bill during National Suicide Prevention Month. I thank my colleagues for joining me in this effort to help address the mental health crisis affecting our nation."

"College can be stressful for many students as they experience being away from their family and friends for an extended period, and nearly 77 percent experience some kind of psychological distress," said Congressman Bacon. "Allowing college campus mental health providers to continue the care of their college student through telehealth will fill a need for when students are home during breaks. I'm pleased to join Rep. Flood on this bill to extend this needed care to college students in their times of need."

"Mental health support is a critical lifeline for students, and that need does not stop when they head home for break or the holidays," said Congressman Nunn. "Right now, crossing a state line can cut off access to trusted care providers. Our bill removes that barrier so students can stay connected to the care they rely on."

"This bill is a crucial step toward building a more supportive and responsive mental health system that meets the needs of today's college student population," said American College Health Association (ACHA) CEO James Wilkinson. "We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Flood and his colleagues for introducing this legislation to support the mental health and well-being of college students. The Congressman listened to the challenges our members shared and immediately began researching and drafting a solution. His commitment to ensuring students don't lose access to their mental health services when they leave the state for school breaks or internships is a testament to his dedication to their success."

The "College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act" allows colleges and universities to extend the mental health care that college students use while on campus. Specifically, the legislation allows mental health providers to continue their care and services via three means:

1. Allows mental health providers employed by Institutes of High Education to offer telehealth mental health care services to a student of the same institution- regardless of state lines.
2. Protecting the ability of states to continue participating in existing interstate healthcare compacts.
3. Expanding interstate telehealth care to incoming students who have registered for classes, as well as students who have attended courses within the last three months at the time of seeking care from a mental health provider from the Institutes of Higher Education.

A fully copy of the legislation can be accessed by clicking here.

Support for the College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act

The following groups support the legislation: American College Health Association, Association of College and University Housing Officers-International, and National Intramural-Recreation Sports Association.

Congressman Flood serves as the Chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus and has made the Mental Health Crisis a priority of his in Congress. Previously, he introduced the "Improving Measurements for Loneliness and Isolation Act," a bill that aims to bring uniformity to reporting measurements for loneliness and isolation.