Bill Summary
The "Community Mental Wellness Worker Training Act" is proposed legislation aimed at enhancing mental health support in communities by authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for training community mental wellness workers. This Act recognizes the need for skilled personnel to address mental health and substance use issues, particularly in underserved areas.
Key provisions include:
1. **Grant Program**: The Secretary can provide grants to eligible entities (like community behavioral health clinics and mental health centers) to establish training programs for community mental wellness workers.
2. **Training Focus**: These programs will equip workers to screen for common mental health conditions and deliver culturally competent counseling and interventions aimed at addressing psychosocial needs and reducing suicide risk.
3. **Technical Assistance**: The Act also allows for the provision of technical assistance to ensure successful implementation of training programs, including identifying diverse candidates for training.
4. **Priority for Funding**: Grants will be prioritized for entities located in high-poverty areas, medically underserved communities, or areas with high rates of substance use.
5. **Reporting Requirements**: The Secretary must submit reports to Congress on the program's outcomes, including the number of trained and certified workers.
6. **Funding**: The Act authorizes $25 million per year from 2026 to 2030 to support these initiatives, with a portion earmarked for training and technical assistance.
Overall, this legislation seeks to empower local communities by developing a workforce capable of providing essential mental health and substance use support, thus improving access to care and overall community wellness.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "Community Mental Wellness Worker Training Act" could affect people:
1. **Increased Access to Mental Health Services**: By funding the training of community mental wellness workers, the Act aims to enhance the availability of mental health services, particularly in underserved areas. This could lead to more individuals receiving timely screenings and interventions for mental health and substance use disorders, ultimately improving their overall well-being and reducing the stigma associated with seeking help.
2. **Culturally Competent Care**: The emphasis on training community mental wellness workers to deliver culturally and linguistically competent counseling means that diverse populations will receive care tailored to their unique backgrounds and experiences. This can foster better trust and communication between service providers and clients, leading to more effective treatment outcomes for individuals from various cultural or socio-economic backgrounds.
3. **Job Creation and Economic Benefits**: The establishment of community mental wellness worker training programs may create new job opportunities in the mental health field. This could be particularly beneficial in areas with high unemployment or poverty rates, as it provides pathways for community members to gain employment while simultaneously addressing local mental health needs. The Act’s focus on areas with high rates of substance use or poverty could lead to revitalization efforts in these communities.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5733 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5733
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through
the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to award
grants to train community mental wellness workers, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 10, 2025
Mr. Espaillat (for himself and Mr. Lawler) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through
the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to award
grants to train community mental wellness workers, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Community Mental Wellness Worker
Training Act''.
SEC. 2. TRAINING COMMUNITY MENTAL WELLNESS WORKERS.
Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
290dd) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 554. TRAINING COMMUNITY MENTAL WELLNESS WORKERS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Assistant
Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, may award grants to
eligible entities to implement community mental wellness worker
training programs.
``(b) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under
this section shall use the funds received through such grant to carry
out a community mental wellness worker training program, which may
include--
``(1) supporting training, certification, and supervision
during and after training of community mental wellness workers
and community mental wellness supervisors--
``(A) to screen for common mental health and
substance use conditions; and
``(B) to deliver evidence-informed, culturally and
linguistically competent counseling and interviewing
interventions addressing basic psychosocial or
psychotherapeutic treatment needs of persons with or at
risk for mental and substance use disorders, including
safety planning and interventions to reduce suicide
risk; and
``(2) covering costs associated with--
``(A) the acquisition and use of digital platforms
to provide the screening, training, supervision, and
ongoing quality assurance monitoring, outcomes
evaluation, and delivery of evidence-based treatments;
``(B) the delivery of counseling and interviewing
interventions described in paragraph (1)(B); and
``(C) the clinical supervision (during and after
training) of community mental wellness workers and the
certification of such workers upon the completion of
required training.
``(c) Community Mental Wellness Technical Assistance.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may provide appropriate
training and technical assistance to eligible entities
receiving a grant under this section in meeting the
requirements of this section, including by--
``(A) consulting with such recipients on evidence-
based employment practices for community mental
wellness workers, including assistance with integrating
community wellness workers into the workflows of such
recipients and other eligible entities;
``(B) identifying a diverse array of candidates for
community mental wellness worker training; and
``(C) identifying behavioral health providers who
may benefit from and employ community mental wellness
workers.
``(2) Additional dissemination of technical assistance.--
The information and resources provided by the Secretary under
paragraph (1) shall be made available to States, political
subdivisions of States, Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations
(as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act), outpatient and inpatient substance
use treatment providers, other community-based behavioral
health organizations, and other entities as the Secretary
determines appropriate.
``(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that are located--
``(1) in an area with rates of poverty and unemployment
that exceed the average in the United States, as determined by
the survey conducted by the Secretary of Commerce commonly
referred to as the `American Community Survey' (or any
successor survey);
``(2) in a medically underserved community;
``(3) in an area with rates of substance use that exceed
the average in the United States, as determined by the National
Institute on Drug Abuse; or
``(4) serving communities with rates of individuals who are
dually eligible for both the Medicare program under title XVIII
of the Social Security Act and the Medicaid program under title
XIX of such Act that exceed the average in the United States.
``(e) Malpractice and Negligence Suits Against Community Behavioral
Health Clinic and Community Mental Health Centers.--
``(1) In general.--Except as inconsistent with this
subsection, the provisions of section 224, including
subsections (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), and (l) of such section,
shall apply with respect to acts and omissions of a covered
entity that occur during the period of the grant under this
section, to the same extent and in the same manner as such
provisions apply with respect to an entity described in
subsection (g)(4) of such section 224, and any officer,
governing board member, employee, or contractor of such an
entity.
``(2) List required.--Each covered entity described in
paragraph (3)(A) shall submit to the Secretary, and update as
necessary, a list of each officer, governing board member,
employee, or contractor participating in the entity's program
funded through a grant under this section.
``(3) Covered entity defined.--In this subsection, the term
`covered entity' means an entity that--
``(A) is an eligible entity (as defined in
subsection (g)(3)) in receipt of a grant under this
section; and
``(B)(i) is an officer, governing board member, or
employee of such an entity or a contractor of such an
entity who is a physician or other licensed or
certified health care practitioner; and
``(ii) is participating in the entity's program
funded through a grant under this section, as indicated
in a list submitted pursuant to paragraph (3).
``(4) Delayed applicability.--This subsection applies
beginning with respect to the first full fiscal year that
begins after the date of the enactment of this section.
``(f) Report.--
``(1) Submission.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress--
``(A) not later than one year after the date of
enactment of this section, an interim report on the
results of the grant program under this section; and
``(B) not later than the end of fiscal year 2030, a
final report of such results.
``(2) Contents.--The reports required by paragraph (1)
shall each include--
``(A) the total number of community mental wellness
workers participating in the grant program under this
section; and
``(B) the total number of community mental wellness
workers who obtained certification through such
participation.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `community mental wellness worker' means an
individual trained and certified by an eligible entity to
assist with providing basic screening and evidence-based
treatments to individuals with a mild to moderate mental health
or substance use disorder, including depression, anxiety, post-
traumatic stress disorder, and alcohol use disorder.
``(2) The term `culturally and linguistically competent'
means, with respect to the provision of counseling and
interviewing interventions, providing such services in a manner
that acknowledges, and is responsive to, cultural differences
that may derive from characteristics of the individual
receiving such services, including--
``(A) gender;
``(B) sex;
``(C) sexual orientation;
``(D) race or ethnicity;
``(E) nationality;
``(F) socioeconomic level;
``(G) immigration status;
``(H) disability;
``(I) Tribal affiliation; and
``(J) veteran status.
``(3) The term `eligible entity' means--
``(A) a certified community behavioral health
clinic (as described in section 223(a) of the
Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014);
``(B) a community mental health center (as
described in section 1913(c));
``(C) a hospital that is described in section
501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt
from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code; and
``(D) such other community behavioral health
organizations as the Secretary may specify, in
consultation with--
``(i) State authorities responsible for
regulating substance use and mental health
providers and facilities receiving
reimbursement under a State plan under title
XIX of the Social Security Act (or a waiver of
such plan); and
``(ii) other State substance abuse and
mental health agencies.
``(4) The term `medically underserved community' has the
meaning given such term in section 799B.
``(h) Funding.--
``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section,
$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
``(2) Allocation.--Of the funds authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal year, not
less than 20 percent shall be reserved for the provision of
training and technical assistance under subsection (c).''.
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