A Democratic bill with 7 Democratic cosponsors · See all 7 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the 9-8-8 Crisis Response Workforce Act. It amends the Public Health Service Act to expand behavioral health workforce training programs. The legislation requires the government to collect and publish data comparing the availability and need of crisis response services in health professional shortage areas. It updates the Minority Fellowship Pilot Program to include training for mental and substance use disorder treatment professionals in crisis management services. Additionally, it expands behavioral health workforce education and training programs to include training for call, text, or chat responders for mental health crisis lines and crisis management. Finally, the bill authorizes specific funding amounts for these programs across various fiscal years through 2031.
Yes· 3 of 19
- Scored +7
Does this make mental health care easier to get?
The legislation expands training and resources for mental health crisis response services, call centers, and mobile crisis teams.
- Scored +6
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
By addressing workforce shortages in crisis care, the bill improves access to emergency behavioral health services.
- Scored +5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Low-income individuals often rely on public crisis services and will benefit from targeted resource tracking in shortage areas.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2(a) requires the Secretary to collect and publish data comparing the availability and need of crisis response services, including crisis call centers, mobile crisis response units, and crisis receiving and stabilization facilities in health professional shortage areas. This is positive because it helps the public and lawmakers see where mental health resources are lacking so officials can be held accountable for fixing those gaps.
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Section 2(b) updates the Minority Fellowship Pilot Program to provide fellowships for postbaccalaureate training in crisis management services, such as at a crisis call center, as part of a mobile crisis team, or at a crisis receiving and stabilization facility, with $10,000,000 authorized for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031. This is positive because it directly supports training more professionals to handle mental health and addiction crises.
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Section 2(c) expands behavioral health workforce education and training programs to include training or field practicums employing call, text, or chat responders for mental health crisis lines and crisis management. This is positive because it ensures that workers are better prepared to support people reaching out during mental health emergencies.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- The provided text does not contain any specific sections or provisions that outline negative consequences or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Low-income individuals often rely on public crisis services and will benefit from targeted resource tracking in shortage areas. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Rural areas are frequently designated as health professional shortage areas, making data collection and workforce expansion particularly impactful there. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill updates the Minority Fellowship Pilot Program to include crisis management training, supporting diverse mental health professionals. Would children be better off under this? — Expanded mental health crisis response services benefit children and adolescents experiencing behavioral health emergencies. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Enhanced minority fellowship programs help train culturally competent crisis response professionals serving Hispanic communities. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Native American populations often experience health professional shortages where crisis resource tracking and workforce funding will help. Would students be better off under this? — Students in behavioral health graduate programs benefit from new fellowship and field practicum funding opportunities. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Young adults experience high rates of mental health needs and will benefit from improved crisis hotline and mobile response availability. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — Expanded minority fellowship opportunities support behavioral health workforce diversity benefiting Asian American communities. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Middle-class households have broader access to crisis support systems strengthened by this legislation. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Seniors facing mental health crises will have better access to trained crisis response professionals. Would women be better off under this? — Women utilize mental health and crisis support services at high rates and will benefit from increased workforce capacity.
- Healthcare
- Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The legislation expands training and resources for mental health crisis response services, call centers, and mobile crisis teams. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — By addressing workforce shortages in crisis care, the bill improves access to emergency behavioral health services. Does this do more about addiction and overdose deaths? — The bill includes training provisions for substance use disorder treatment professionals working in crisis management.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates the collection and publication of data comparing the availability and need for crisis response services.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill expands behavioral health workforce training and fellowships, which supports job growth in crisis response sectors.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — The bill provides fellowship and educational funding opportunities for postbaccalaureate training in mental health fields.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill requires tracking crisis service needs in health professional shortage areas, which frequently include rural communities.
- 10/5/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 7 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Nanette BarragánDemocrat · California
Doris MatsuiDemocrat · California
Jennifer McClellanDemocrat · Virginia
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Adam SmithDemocrat · Washington
Lori TrahanDemocrat · Massachusetts
Bonnie Watson ColemanDemocrat · New Jersey