STAR Plus Scholarship Act

This bill would create a federal scholarship program to grow the mental health and addiction care workforce. It would pay tuition and other school costs for full-time students in approved programs who agree to work after graduation where care is most needed. These scholarships would not be taxed as income for the student .

After school, recipients must work full-time in jobs that directly treat or support people with mental health or substance use disorders, in areas with too few providers, in counties with overdose rates above the national average, or in other shortage settings the agency identifies. The service commitment is one year for each school year of scholarship. The program would give priority to people likely to stay in shortage areas and to those from underrepresented groups. If someone breaks their service pledge, a replacement fund can help clinics hire other professionals. The bill authorizes $75 million per year from 2026 through 2030 to run the program .

Key points

• Who is affected: Students training for mental health and addiction care jobs; clinics and practices in areas with provider shortages; communities with high overdose rates .
• What changes: Scholarships cover tuition and other school expenses; students sign a service agreement of one year for each year of support; scholarships are tax-free; clinics can tap a fund to replace lost services if a participant doesn’t complete their service; priority goes to applicants likely to keep serving and to underrepresented groups .
• When: Funding is authorized for 2026–2030; the tax change applies to tax years ending after the bill becomes law .