Sponsors (2)
The bill creates a targeted GAO study to generate evidence and best practices that could improve rural mental health and SUD services for farm families in the future, but it provides no immediate services and uses GAO resources with the possibility of prompting future taxpayer costs.
Farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers and their families will gain a targeted federal study and recommendations aimed at improving access to substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health care in rural areas, which could lead to better services over time.
Rural health systems and communities will get identified, replicable best practices (training, telehealth, paraprofessional certificates) that can be used to expand local treatment capacity.
Agricultural organizations and care providers will be encouraged to coordinate outreach and stigma-reduction efforts, potentially increasing help-seeking among farm families.
Farmers, ranchers and rural communities receive no immediate new services because the bill only mandates a study and recommendations, so benefits may be delayed for two years or longer.
The study requires GAO staff time and resources, which could divert capacity from other oversight or priority work within the GAO.
Recommendations from the study could prompt future federal spending or regulatory changes that raise costs for taxpayers if enacted.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires a GAO study and report within two years on access to SUD treatment and mental health care for agricultural workers, farmers, ranchers, and their families, with recommendations.
Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and mental health care for farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers, and their families and deliver a report with findings and recommendations to USDA, HHS, and congressional committees within two years. The study must examine rural availability, financial, geographic, and cultural barriers, review Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network grantees, identify replicable best practices (including workforce training, telehealth, stigma-reduction outreach, and coordination with agricultural organizations), and recommend ways to improve accessibility and utilization. Also provides a short title for the act; it does not itself authorize new funding or change program eligibility or statutory authorities.
Official title: Provide for a study on the accessibility of substance use disorder treatment and mental health care providers and services for farmers and ranchers, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 14, 2025 by Michael F. Bennet · Last progress March 14, 2025