42 U.S.C. § 280h–6 — Infant and early childhood mental health promotion, intervention, and treatment

(a) Grants. The Secretary must (1) award grants to eligible entities to build, keep, or grow infant and early-childhood mental health programs, including (A) programs for children at risk of, showing early signs of, or already diagnosed with mental illness, including serious emotional disturbance, and (B) family therapy and other services supporting the caregiving relationship; and (2) make sure funded programs use models and practices backed by evidence, fitted to local culture and language, and able to be repeated elsewhere. (b) Eligible children and entities. (1) An "eligible child" is someone from birth up to age 12 who (A) is at risk of, shows early signs of, or has been diagnosed with mental illness, including serious emotional disturbance, and (B) could benefit from early intervention, treatment, or specialized preschool or elementary programs that are evidence-based or promising but need more development. (2) An "eligible entity" is a human services agency or nonprofit that (A) employs licensed mental health staff trained in infant and early-childhood mental health, or is state-approved to provide such services to children up to 12, and (B) runs programs described in (a) that are evidence-based or promising. (c) Application. An eligible entity applies to the Secretary as required. (d) Use of funds for early intervention and treatment programs. A grantee may (1) provide age-appropriate mental health promotion, early intervention, or treatment services — including specialized programs and family therapy — for at-risk or diagnosed children; (2) train health professionals to integrate infant and early-childhood mental health care with other fields, like pediatrics, early intervention, child welfare, and home visiting; (3) offer mental health consultation to early-care and education staff, including child care, home visiting, and special education programs; (4) train mental health clinicians in evidence-based practices, including for trauma from repeated adverse childhood experiences; and (5) provide age-appropriate assessment, diagnosis, and intervention services. (e) Matching funds. The Secretary may not fund a grantee unless it agrees to contribute non-federal funds (cash or in-kind) worth at least 10 percent of the total federal grant. (f) Technical assistance. The Secretary may train and assist grantees directly, or through grants or contracts to nonprofits, to carry out (d). (g) Authorization of appropriations. Congress authorized $50,000,000 total for fiscal years 2023 through 2027.