A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · 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
The HELP Act of 2026 aims to improve the accessibility and coordination of 211 services across the United States. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will establish a program to increase the capacity of 211 services, improve coordination with 911 and 988 providers, and raise public awareness. An administering agency will be selected to manage grants for qualified 211 service entities in each State. These grants will fund the operation of contact centers, database maintenance, and public awareness campaigns. The bill provides for significant funding to ensure individuals can access health and human services information.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +6
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The bill mandates that 211 services must be directly accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Scored +6
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill expands the capacity of 211 services to provide referrals for health and human services.
- Scored +5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill improves accessibility to essential human services like food assistance and housing through 211.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Accessibility to Services: The bill aims to increase the capacity of 211 services to ensure they are directly accessible to all individuals in each State (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Improved Emergency Coordination: The program seeks to increase coordination between 211, 988, and 911 service providers (Section 2(a)(2)).
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Enhanced Public Awareness: The act includes a mandate to develop public awareness campaigns to educate the public on the purpose and use of 211 services (Section 3(b)(5)).
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Equitable Resource Distribution: Grant awards are intended to facilitate equitable geographic distribution to ensure rural communities have access to 211 services (Section 4(c)(2)).
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Support for Essential Needs: The program supports the provision of information and referrals regarding health and human services, including food assistance, housing supports, and mental health resources (Section 5(5)).
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Ensuring No-Cost Access: A goal of the program is to ensure that individuals with phone or internet service can connect to 211 services at no charge (Section 3(d)(1)(A)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Requirement for Matching Funds: To receive funding, qualified 211 service entities must provide matching funds from non-Federal sources of at least 25 percent of the amount received (Section 4(c)(3)(B)).
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 people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill mandates that 211 services must be directly accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill improves accessibility to essential human services like food assistance and housing through 211. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill includes considerations to ensure equitable geographic distribution to rural communities. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill improves the delivery of information and referrals for veterans resources via the 211 system.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill expands the capacity of 211 services to provide referrals for health and human services. Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill increases coordination between 211 and 988 service providers to divert calls to mental health responders.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill improves access to information regarding food assistance and other social determinants of health. Does this make housing cost less? — The bill enhances the ability of 211 services to provide information and referrals regarding housing supports. Is this likely to reduce homelessness? — The bill strengthens the referral systems used to connect individuals to housing supports.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — The bill funds 211 services which are used to provide disaster response and recovery resources.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill enhances the capacity of 211 services to provide referrals for veterans resources.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — The bill funds infrastructure for 211 services which can assist with workforce development and resource navigation.
- 4/27/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 7 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
J. CorreaDemocrat · California
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Maxwell FrostDemocrat · Florida
Robert GarciaDemocrat · California
Joseph MorelleDemocrat · New York
Emilia SykesDemocrat · Ohio
Paul TonkoDemocrat · New York