High School Mental Health Pilot Launches Peer Support Programs, Ending in 2029

The Peer to Peer Mental Health Support Act is setting up a new, temporary pilot program focused on student mental health in high schools. Essentially, the bill authorizes the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use to hand out competitive grants to states, local governments, or Tribal organizations. The goal is simple: fund evidence-based peer support activities for students in secondary schools, helping them spot and address mental health or substance use issues early.

The Fine Print: What the Grants Cover

Think of this as seed money for high schools that want to build a better internal support system. To get the cash, applicants have to submit a plan that clearly shows how they will measure and evaluate the program’s impact on student mental health. The funds can be used for things like training students to be peer counselors, teaching adult supervisors how to manage these programs, and building resilience among the student body. This is a critical detail: the bill mandates that all peer support activities must be overseen by a mental health professional already working at the school. This ensures that when a student needs more than peer support—like professional therapy—there’s a clear handoff to a qualified adult.

Privacy and the Sunset Clause

For parents and students concerned about data, the bill includes a necessary safeguard. Any student records collected through this program must receive the same privacy protections as other educational records under the General Education Provisions Act (Section 444)—the same law that protects student information under FERPA. This means the data collected to track the program’s effectiveness stays confidential. However, this program isn’t permanent. It comes with a hard deadline, automatically ending on September 30, 2029. This is common for pilot programs; the idea is to run the experiment, see what works, and then decide whether to make it permanent.

Who Benefits and What’s the Catch?

If you’re a high school student struggling with anxiety or substance use, this program could mean having trained peers and professional staff available to help you navigate those challenges without the stigma of traditional therapy. If you’re a mental health professional in a high school, this provides resources and trained student volunteers to extend your reach across the student body. The biggest question mark here is the term “evidence-based.” While it sounds good, the bill doesn't provide a federal definition of what qualifies as “evidence-based” in this context. This vagueness means different states might implement very different programs, making the final evaluation a bit tricky. Additionally, because the awards are competitive, jurisdictions with better grant-writing teams might be the first to benefit, potentially leaving smaller or less-resourced districts waiting.