Securing Our Schools Act of 2023

Securing Our Schools Act of 2023

This bill provides funding and resources to (1) strengthen security on school premises, and (2) provide access to student mental health resources. It also generally prohibits the use of federal funding provided by this bill for abortions.

Specifically, the bill provides specified funds through FY2033 to the Department of Education (ED) for Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants. It also directs ED to use a portion of these funds to strengthen security on school premises.

The bill reauthorizes through FY2029 the Nonprofit Security Grant Program and revises the program, including by increasing grant amounts for administrative costs and technical assistance.

Further, the bill allows funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services grant program to be used to pay for school resource officers and improve physical security at schools.

Additionally, the bill transfers

• specified funds under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act to ED to establish the Student Access to Mental Health Program Fund, through which ED must award grants to states to support the salary of a mental health professional in eligible schools; and
• specified unobligated funds under the ARP Act to support certain mental health programs of ED, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The Government Accountability Office must conduct a study on mental health providers in schools.

The bill transfers specified unobligated funds that were provided to address COVID-19 to ED to carry out this bill.

The Securing Our Schools Act of 2023, also known as Bill 118 s 1082, is a piece of legislation introduced in the US Congress with the aim of enhancing security measures in schools across the country. The bill focuses on providing funding and resources to improve safety protocols and infrastructure in educational institutions.

Key provisions of the bill include:

1. Grant Program: The bill establishes a grant program that will provide funding to schools for the implementation of security measures such as installing security cameras, hiring security personnel, and conducting safety training for staff and students. 2. Threat Assessment Teams: The legislation requires schools to establish threat assessment teams to identify and address potential threats to school safety. These teams will be responsible for assessing and responding to threats in a timely and effective manner. 3. Mental Health Resources: The bill also emphasizes the importance of mental health resources in schools, allocating funds for the implementation of mental health programs and services to support students who may be at risk of harming themselves or others. 4. Emergency Communication Systems: The legislation requires schools to have effective emergency communication systems in place to ensure that students and staff can quickly and easily communicate with authorities in the event of a crisis. Overall, the Securing Our Schools Act of 2023 aims to improve the safety and security of schools by providing funding for security measures, establishing threat assessment teams, promoting mental health resources, and ensuring effective emergency communication systems are in place.