S. 3783: Mental Health Career Promotion Act

The Mental Health Career Promotion Act is designed to enhance the field of mental and behavioral health by establishing a grant program aimed at promoting careers in this area, particularly to students in high school and community colleges. Here are the main components of the bill:

Establishment of Grant Program

The Secretary of Health and Human Services is tasked with creating a program called the Mental and Behavioral Health Career Promotion Grant Program. This program will provide grants to eligible entities, allowing them to set up or expand initiatives that promote mental and behavioral health careers.

Eligible Entities

To qualify for these grants, entities must form partnerships that include:

• One or more local educational agencies (such as schools or school districts) or a consortium of such agencies.
• One or more public junior or community colleges, or a consortium of such colleges.
• At least one community-based mental or behavioral health provider (like a community mental health center or nonprofit organization) or another relevant community-based entity.

Programs Eligible for Grants

The mental and behavioral health career promotion programs that can receive funding focus on raising awareness of careers in this field among students, and may include:

• Educational presentations to students about mental and behavioral health careers.
• Internships and externships for interested students.
• Opportunities for students to interact with and observe professionals in the mental health field.
• Mentorship programs and experiential learning opportunities.
• Partnerships with local educational institutions and mental health organizations to support the promotion of careers.

Grant Parameters

The grants will be for a duration of five years and can be renewed. However, the funds can only be used for activities that are suitable for various developmental, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds. The Secretary also ensures that grants are distributed across different geographical areas.

Technical Assistance and Evaluation

The Secretary is allowed to provide support to high-need educational agencies and community colleges to assist them in applying for the grants. There will also be a process to evaluate the effectiveness of the initiatives funded by these grants, which will include annual reporting requirements for grant recipients.

Funding Authorization

The bill proposes to authorize $50 million in funding for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2030 to support these programs.

Definitions

The bill provides definitions for various terms related to careers in mental or behavioral health, which encompass a wide range of occupations including:

• Physicians
• Nurse practitioners
• Social workers
• Counselors
• Psychologists
• Community health workers
• Peer support specialists

Relevant Companies

None found