Stop Mental Health Stigma in Our Communities Act of 2025

This bill focuses on improving mental health in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to create a national outreach and education strategy to reduce stigma, share clear information in multiple languages, and make materials age-appropriate. Community members must help shape the materials, and the approach connects mental and physical health. Starting within a year and then every year, the agency must report on whether awareness is improving. It authorizes $3 million per year for 2026–2030 to carry this out. The bill responds to serious gaps in care and research—for example, AANHPI youth have faced very high suicide risks, and Asian adults are less likely to receive treatment compared to other groups.

The bill also orders two national studies. One study examines the AANHPI youth mental health crisis, including rates of depression, suicide, and overdose, and the barriers to care. A public report with recommendations is due within one year, and data must be broken down by factors like age and language. It authorizes $1.5 million for fiscal year 2026 for this work. A second study looks at the shortage of AANHPI behavioral health workers, counting how many there are, where they practice, what languages they speak, and what blocks people from entering these jobs. A public report with recommendations is also due within one year, with $1.5 million authorized for fiscal year 2026.

• Who is affected: AANHPI individuals and families; AANHPI youth; behavioral health providers and students; community groups.
• What changes: A national anti-stigma education effort; annual public reports on outreach impact; one-year studies on youth mental health and on building an AANHPI behavioral health workforce, with public recommendations .
• When: Outreach reporting begins within one year of enactment and continues yearly; both studies report within one year. Funding: $3M per year (2026–2030) for outreach; $1.5M in FY 2026 for each study .