Bill > S1074

This bill, known as the Agricultural Access to Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Mental Health Care Act of 2025, directs the Comptroller General (the head of the Government Accountability Office) to conduct a comprehensive study on the accessibility of substance use disorder and mental health care for farmers and ranchers within two years of the Act's enactment. The study will examine critical issues such as the availability of specialized mental health providers in rural areas, barriers to accessing care (including financial, geographic, and cultural challenges), and best practices for supporting agricultural communities' mental health needs. Specifically, the study will explore strategies like hiring professionals with agricultural expertise, developing cultural competency training, creating peer support programs, expanding telehealth services, reducing mental health stigma, and improving coordination between mental health providers and agricultural organizations. The Comptroller General must submit the study's findings to multiple congressional committees and key federal departments, including Agriculture and Health and Human Services, with the ultimate goal of developing recommendations to improve mental health and substance use disorder treatment accessibility for farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers, and their families.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1074/all-info