H.R. 5733

[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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