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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7394 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7394
To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for
Mental Health and Substance Use, to establish a Mental and Behavioral
Health Career Promotion Grant Program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 5, 2026
Ms. Balint (for herself, Mrs. Watson Coleman, and Ms. Norton)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for
Mental Health and Substance Use, to establish a Mental and Behavioral
Health Career Promotion Grant Program, 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 ``Mental Health Career Promotion
Act''.
SEC. 2. MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CAREER PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM.
Subpart 3 of part B of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 290bb-31 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 520O. MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CAREER PROMOTION GRANT
PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Assistant
Secretary, shall establish a program, to be known as the Mental and
Behavioral Health Career Promotion Grant Program, to award grants to
eligible entities to establish or expand eligible mental and behavioral
health career promotion programs in schools served by local educational
agencies or in public junior or community colleges.
``(b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, an entity shall be a partnership that includes--
``(1)(A) 1 or more local educational agencies, or a
consortium of such local educational agencies; or
``(B) a State educational agency;
``(2) 1 or more public junior or community colleges, or a
consortium of such public junior or community colleges; and
``(3) at least 1--
``(A) community-based mental or behavioral health
provider (such as a certified community behavioral
health clinic, a community mental health center, an
opioid treatment program, or a nonprofit mental health
or substance use professional association); or
``(B) other community-based entity, as determined
appropriate by the Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary (such as a State or local
behavioral health authority, a human service agency, a
child welfare agency, or an institution of higher
education, such as a historically Black college or
university).
``(c) Eligible Mental and Behavioral Health Career Promotion
Programs.--To be eligible for a grant under this section, a mental and
behavioral health career promotion program shall promote careers in
mental and behavioral health to students in grades 9 through 12 or in
public junior or community colleges, such as by--
``(1) providing educational presentations to students that
increase exposure to and knowledge of careers in the mental and
behavioral health field;
``(2) coordinating internships and externships for students
who demonstrate an interest in mental and behavioral health;
``(3) providing opportunities for students to interact with
and shadow mental and behavioral health care professionals;
``(4) providing students with mentorships and experiential
learning opportunities; or
``(5) partnering with local institutions of higher
education and community behavioral health organizations to
promote careers in mental and behavioral health.
``(d) Activity Requirement.--A grant awarded under this section may
only be used for activities that are developmentally, linguistically,
and culturally appropriate.
``(e) Award Duration; Renewal.--A grant awarded under this section
shall be for a period of 5 years and may be renewed.
``(f) Geographical Diversity.--The Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary, shall ensure that grants awarded under this
section cover a diverse range of geographical areas.
``(g) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary, may provide technical assistance in seeking grants
under this section to high-need local educational agencies and to
public junior and community colleges.
``(h) Evaluation and Measures of Outcomes.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary, shall develop a fiscally appropriate
process for evaluating activities carried out through grants
awarded under this section. Under such process, the Secretary,
acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall--
``(A) provide to recipients of such grants--
``(i) guidelines for the submission to the
Assistant Secretary of data concerning such
activities; and
``(ii) measures of outcomes to be used by
such recipients in evaluating the effectiveness
of such activities (including outcomes related
to the student, family, and local educational
systems supported by such activities);
``(B) require each such recipient to submit to the
Assistant Secretary annual reports--
``(i) containing data on such activities
carried out by the recipient; and
``(ii) that use the measures of outcomes
described in subparagraph (A)(ii) to evaluate
the effectiveness of such activities; and
``(C) not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, and annually thereafter,
submit to Congress a report describing the results and
effectiveness of the programs under this section.
``(2) Limitation.--A recipient of a grant under this
section may not use more than 10 percent of the amounts
received for data collection, performance measurement, and
performance assessment.
``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Careers in mental and behavioral health.--The term
`careers in mental and behavioral health' means occupations
whose primary intent and function is the direct treatment or
recovery support of patients with, or in recovery from, a
mental or behavioral health disorder, which may include--
``(A) physicians (including physicians with a
degree of Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic
Medicine);
``(B) advanced practice registered nurse
practitioners;
``(C) social workers;
``(D) marriage and family therapists;
``(E) counselors (including addiction and mental
health licensed professionals);
``(F) psychologists;
``(G) psychiatrists (including child and adolescent
psychiatrists);
``(H) psychiatric aides;
``(I) neurologists;
``(J) peer support specialists;
``(K) addiction specialists and prevention
specialists;
``(L) community health workers; and
``(M) physician assistants.
``(2) ESEA terms.--The terms `local educational agency' and
`State educational agency' have the meanings given such terms
in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965.
``(3) HEA terms.--(A) The terms `institution of higher
education', `high-need local educational agency', and `junior
or community college' have the meanings given such terms,
respectively, in sections 101(a), 200, and 312(f) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965.
``(B) The term `historically Black college or university'
has the meaning given the term `part B institution' under
section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2027 through 2031.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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