Bill > S1448

This bill, called the "Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act," aims to address mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups, particularly youth. The bill includes several key provisions: First, it modifies the Primary and Behavioral Health Care Grant Program to allow special consideration for entities serving high proportions of racial and ethnic minority groups, with increased funding from $60 million to $80 million annually from 2026 to 2031. Second, it mandates a comprehensive research study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to investigate mental health research gaps in minority communities, examining prevalence of mental health outcomes, impacts of community violence, adverse childhood experiences, and structural bias. Third, the bill enhances health professional training by establishing mechanisms to develop best practices and core competencies for addressing mental health disparities, including forming expert committees, planning workshops, and disseminating training resources. Fourth, it requires the development of a national outreach and education strategy to promote behavioral and mental health awareness among racial and ethnic minority groups, with culturally and linguistically appropriate approaches. Additionally, the bill provides significant funding increases for the National Institutes of Health ($150 million annually) and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities ($750 million annually) to support research and community engagement focused on addressing mental health disparities.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1448/all-info