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Requires the Department of Agriculture to give higher priority to rural development loans and grants that provide behavioral and mental health education, treatment, and services. It also adds a new priority for building or improving essential community facilities that deliver behavioral and mental health care. This does not add new funding, but it changes how applications are ranked. Rural clinics, hospitals, community mental health providers, local governments, and nonprofits that expand mental health care would be more likely to receive awards, helping improve access in underserved rural areas.
Amend Section 6101(a)(1) of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (text edits are made to that subsection).
Behavioral and mental health treatment selection priority for essential community facilities: When selecting recipients of direct loans or grants under section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (for development of essential community facilities), the Secretary must give priority to eligible entities that will develop facilities to provide behavioral and mental health services and that employ staff with appropriate expertise and training to identify and treat individuals with behavioral and mental health concerns.
Rural health and safety education programs; behavioral and mental health selection priority: In making grants under section 502(i) of the Rural Development Act of 1972, the Secretary must give priority to applicants that will use the grant for behavioral and mental health education and treatment.
Adds a selection priority requirement that, when selecting recipients of direct loans or grants for development of essential community facilities under 7 U.S.C. 1926(a), the Secretary must give priority to eligible entities that will develop facilities to provide behavioral and mental health services and employ appropriately trained staff.
Adds a selection priority to grants made under section 502(i) (7 U.S.C. 2662(i)), requiring the Secretary to give priority to applicants that will use the grant for behavioral and mental health education and treatment.
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Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Introduced March 6, 2025 by Nikki Budzinski · Last progress March 6, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Introduced in House