Community Mental Wellness Worker Training Act

This bill would let the Department of Health and Human Services give grants to community behavioral health clinics, community mental health centers, nonprofit hospitals, and similar organizations to train and certify community mental wellness workers. These workers would screen for common mental health and substance use conditions and provide basic counseling, including suicide safety planning, for people with mild to moderate conditions. Priority would go to applicants in areas with above-average poverty, unemployment, or substance use, medically underserved communities, or communities with many people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Grant recipients and listed participating staff would be covered by federal malpractice liability protections during the grant period. The bill authorizes $25 million per year from 2027 through 2031, with at least 20 percent set aside for training and technical assistance.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Cory A. Booker Democrat sponsor
• 0 cosponsors