Sponsors (9)
The bill invests in community-based, culturally and data-informed mental wellness capacity—especially for rural areas and smaller organizations—but under relatively modest overall and per-grant funding limits, which may constrain reach and leave some clinical care needs unmet.
Community members (including children and families) can benefit from local resilience networks receiving program grants up to $500,000 per year for up to four years to establish or expand mental wellness programs.
Rural communities will have increased access to funds because at least 20% of annual program funds are reserved for rural areas.
Nonprofits and local communities can receive planning grants (up to $250,000) to form networks, assess needs, and apply for program funding, strengthening community capacity to compete for and implement programs.
Communities seeking support (including rural areas) may be constrained because the bill authorizes only $36 million over five years, limiting the number and scale of grants relative to need.
Large or multi-jurisdictional programs (including school systems and regional networks) may find the per-award caps (planning grants up to $250,000; program grants up to $500,000/year) insufficient, forcing scope reductions or reliance on other funding sources.
Very small or nascent grassroots groups and remote communities could be disadvantaged because planning grant applicants must show documented support from at least three organizations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a new HHS competitive grant program funding planning and local mental wellness/resilience programs with grant caps and a 20% rural set-aside.
Creates a new federal competitive grant program to fund community planning and local programs that promote mental wellness and resilience. Grants include planning awards (up to $250,000) for nonprofit or community-based groups and program grants (up to $500,000 per year for up to four years) for coordinating networks, with 20% of annual funds reserved for rural areas. Grantees must collect resident-reported and quantitative data, identify protective and risk factors, strengthen protective factors, improve social/economic/environmental conditions, build community skills and leadership, adopt trauma-informed approaches, and use developmentally, linguistically, culturally appropriate practices (including evidence-based, evidence-informed, promising, best, or indigenous practices) to plan, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve community mental wellness activities. Funding requires annual appropriation by Congress.
Introduced July 23, 2025 by Paul Tonko · Last progress July 23, 2025