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Inserts a new section 554 into Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act establishing a behavioral and mental health outreach and education strategy and reporting requirements, and authorizing appropriations.
Redesignates existing subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d), inserts a new subsection (b) authorizing individuals receiving a fellowship under subsection (a) or an entity selected by the Assistant Secretary to administer the program to use amounts awarded under the section to develop and disseminate best practices and core competencies addressing mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups, and specifies enumerated activities (formation of expert committees, planning national workshops, dissemination/promoting use in undergraduate and graduate training programs nationwide, establishing external advisory boards). The amendment also directs a change to subsection (d) as redesignated by striking and inserting (new text not shown in provided section).
Amends section 520K of the Public Health Service Act by redesignating subsections, adding a new subsection providing special consideration for entities serving a high proportion of racial and ethnic minority groups, updating cross‑references, and modifying authorized funding amounts in subsection (j)(1).
Provides new federal funding, studies, and programs to reduce mental‑health disparities affecting racial and ethnic minority groups. It increases and retools grant programs, requires an NIH‑commissioned study of research gaps, allows fellowship funds to develop/share best practices, requires HHS outreach and education tailored to minority communities, and authorizes large annual appropriations to NIH and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) for FY2025–2031.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced April 10, 2025 by Mazie Hirono · Last progress April 10, 2025
Star Print ordered on the bill.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced in Senate