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Creates a federal grant program to train, certify, supervise, and support community mental wellness workers who provide screening, basic counseling/interviewing, safety planning, and suicide-risk interventions in community settings. The Department of Health and Human Services (Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use) will award grants to eligible community behavioral health organizations, clinics, and certain hospitals, prioritize high-need areas, provide technical assistance, require reporting to Congress, and apply existing malpractice/neglect provisions to covered entities during the grant period. The program is authorized at $25 million per year for FY2026–2030, with at least 20% of each year reserved for training and technical assistance.
The bill directs modest funding to grow and standardize a community behavioral‑health workforce—especially in underserved areas—improving access and quality for many, but limited dollars, liability and administrative requirements, and potential uneven implementation may substantially constrain its overall impact.
People with mild-to-moderate mental health or substance use conditions will have increased access to trained community mental wellness workers who can provide screening and basic evidence‑based interventions.
Communities in high‑poverty, high‑unemployment, medically underserved, or high‑substance‑use areas receive prioritized funding for workforce development, directing resources to places with greater need.
Funding supports training, certification, and ongoing supervision for community behavioral health workers, which should improve quality and consistency of community‑based behavioral health services.
People in need may see limited benefit because the bill authorizes only $25 million per year, a modest sum unlikely to train enough workers to meet national demand.
Covered entities, officers, staff, and contractors face malpractice/neglect liability for acts during the grant period, which could deter organizations or individuals from participating and raise legal or insurance costs.
Administrative requirements to submit and update lists of participating officers/staff/contractors may create burdens and privacy concerns for organizations and workers.
Introduced October 10, 2025 by Adriano J. Espaillat · Last progress October 10, 2025