ASSIST Act

The ASSIST Act increases federal funding for mental health and substance use disorder services provided in schools and school-based health centers. It raises the federal funding match for these services to 90% (from the standard rate) and creates a new grant program to help schools hire more licensed mental health providers like counselors, social workers, and psychologists. Schools, school-based health centers, and students needing these services directly benefit from the increased funding and expanded access to care. The law requires grant recipients to provide culturally competent care and prohibits using funds for threat assessment teams, with annual reporting on provider numbers and service effectiveness.