Bill Overview
Title: Behavioral Intervention Guidelines Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to report on best practices for behavioral and mental health intervention teams that support students who exhibit behaviors interfering with learning or who are at risk of harm to self or others in elementary schools, secondary schools, and institutions of higher education.
Sponsors: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Target Audience
Population: Students in educational institutions worldwide
Estimated Size: 75000000
- The bill focuses on behavioral and mental health intervention teams in educational settings, specifically targeting elementary schools, secondary schools, and higher education institutions.
- Students who exhibit behaviors that interfere with learning or who are at risk of harm to self or others are the primary focus of the interventions outlined in the bill.
- Educators and school administrative staff will also be impacted as they will likely be involved in the implementation and ongoing functioning of intervention teams.
- Parents and guardians of students may be indirectly impacted by improved behavioral interventions and supports.
- The bill is likely to have an impact primarily in countries with an education system that includes primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, which is common worldwide.
Reasoning
- The policy targets educational institutions in the US, where there is a significant population of students facing behavioral and mental health challenges.
- To ensure the budget limitation is met, the policy's implementation will likely focus first on larger institutions or those with existing support structures.
- Impacts will vary across different educational settings: primary, secondary, and higher education may have different needs and responses to intervention teams.
- The policy will mostly impact students exhibiting behavioral issues; however, broader school environments may also see changes, affecting teachers, staff, and families.
- It's important to simulate interviews that cover a range of perspectives, including students directly benefiting from the intervention, educators involved in the process, and potentially unaffected individuals to gauge the policy's broader impact.
Simulated Interviews
Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 14 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I often feel anxious at school and have trouble focusing in class. I hope this new policy helps teachers understand and support students like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
High school teacher (Dallas, TX)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've seen many students struggle with mental health issues. Having guidelines and resources through this policy could make a real difference.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
College student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 18 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I discovered support groups on my campus. Expanding such initiatives through this policy could help even more students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Student (New York, NY)
Age: 9 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My teachers help me a lot. I think having more help for kids who need it is good.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Parent (Rural Kansas)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I want my kids to have the best support possible. Though we live in a rural area, I hope this policy reaches us too.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
School Principal (Houston, TX)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy offers a chance to enhance programs we've already started. It can help build a more supportive environment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Grad student (Miami, FL)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe supporting mental health in schools can profoundly impact educational outcomes. This policy is a step toward systemic change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
High school student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 16 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think more support for students like me will help in focusing on both academics and sports.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
School counselor (Portland, OR)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Guidelines and additional resources from this policy can bolster our ongoing efforts in helping students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
University student (Boston, MA)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved mental health strategies from this policy can enhance campus wellbeing and support networks.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $12500000 (Low: $10000000, High: $15000000)
Year 2: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $10000000)
Year 3: $6000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $8000000)
Year 5: $4000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 10: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $4000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The bill aims to standardize behavioral intervention practices across educational institutions, which may enhance mental health awareness and safety in school environments.
- Potential cost-savings could occur if early interventions prevent more severe behavioral issues.
- The scalability at state and national levels may require additional funding avenues not covered by the bill itself.