H.R. 6817

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6817 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6817

To establish a home-based telemental health care grant program for 
purposes of increasing mental health and substance use services in 
rural medically underserved populations and for individuals in farming, 
fishing, and forestry occupations.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 17, 2025

Ms. Salinas (for herself and Mrs. Harshbarger) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish a home-based telemental health care grant program for 
purposes of increasing mental health and substance use services in 
rural medically underserved populations and for individuals in farming, 
fishing, and forestry occupations.

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 ``Home-Based Telemental Health Care 
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES DELIVERED TO RURAL 
UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS VIA TELEMENTAL HEALTH CARE.

Title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting 
after section 330K (42 U.S.C. 254c-16) the following:

``SEC. 330K-1. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES DELIVERED TO 
RURAL UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS VIA TELEMENTAL HEALTH CARE.

``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
``(1) the term `covered populations' means--
``(A) health professional shortage areas (as 
defined in section 332(a)(1)) in rural areas; or
``(B) populations engaged in a farming, fishing, or 
forestry industry;
``(2) the term `eligible entity' means a public or 
nonprofit private telemental health provider network that 
offers services that include mental health and substance use 
services provided by professionals trained in mental health and 
substance use;
``(3) the term `farming, fishing, or forestry industry' 
means an occupation defined as a farming, fishing, or forestry 
occupation by the Department of Labor in accordance with the 
Standard Occupational Classification System;
``(4) the term `home-based telemental' means the use of 
telemental health services where the patient is in his or her 
own home or other place of comfort;
``(5) the term `professional trained in mental health' 
means a psychiatrist, a qualified mental health professional 
(as defined in section 330K), or another mental health 
professional acting under the direction of a psychiatrist;
``(6) the term `rural' has the meaning given such term by 
the Office of Rural Health Policy of the Health Resources and 
Services Administration; and
``(7) the term `telemental health' means the use of 
electronic information and telecommunications technologies to 
support long distance clinical health care, patient and 
professional health-related education, public health, and 
health administration.
``(b) Program Authorized.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
Rural Health Liaison of the Department of Agriculture, shall award 
grants to eligible entities to expand and enhance access to mental 
health and substance use services for covered populations in their 
homes or other places of comfort, as delivered remotely by 
professionals trained in mental health and substance use using 
telemental health care.
``(c) Use of Funds.--Recipients of a grant under this section shall 
use the grant funds to--
``(1) deliver home-based telemental health services to 
covered populations;
``(2) develop comprehensive metrics to measure the quality 
and impact of home-based telemental health services compared to 
traditional in-person mental health and substance use care; and
``(3) support infrastructure that enhances the capacity of 
health care providers to deliver telemental health services in 
patients' homes or other places of comfort, including by--
``(A) expanding broadband access;
``(B) providing devices for patients to access 
telemental health services; and
``(C) offsetting costs of technology necessary for 
health care providers to deliver high quality care.
``(d) Report.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Agriculture, not later than 3 years after the date on which the program 
under this section commences, and 2 years thereafter, shall submit to 
the appropriate congressional committees reports on the impact and 
quality of care of home-based telemental health care services for 
covered populations.
``(e) Authorized Use of Funds.--Out of any amounts made available 
to the Secretary, up to $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 
through 2029 may be allocated to carrying out the program under this 
section.''.
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