A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
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, titled the ``Expand the Behavioral Health Workforce Now Act'', directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide guidance to States. The goal is to help States develop strategies using Medicaid and CHIP to grow the mental health and substance use disorder care workforce. This includes focusing on education, training, recruitment, and retention of providers. There is a specific emphasis on improving capacity in rural and underserved areas. The guidance must include how States can use specific waivers and authorities under the Social Security Act.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +5
Does this make mental health care easier to get?
The bill aims to increase the education, training, recruitment, and retention of mental health and substance use disorder providers.
- Scored +5
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill explicitly targets the improvement of the mental health and substance use disorder workforce in rural areas.
- Scored +4
Does this do more about addiction and overdose deaths?
By expanding the workforce for substance use disorder care, the bill supports the response to addiction.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Access to Care: By increasing the education, training, recruitment, and retention of providers, the bill aims to improve the capacity of the mental health and substance use disorder care workforce (Section 2).
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Support for Rural and Underserved Communities: The guidance focuses on improving the workforce specifically in rural and underserved areas (Section 2).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are mentioned in the provided text.
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.
- Healthcare
- Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill aims to increase the education, training, recruitment, and retention of mental health and substance use disorder providers. Does this do more about addiction and overdose deaths? — By expanding the workforce for substance use disorder care, the bill supports the response to addiction. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill seeks to improve provider capacity in underserved and rural areas. Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — The bill directs guidance on using Medicaid and CHIP authorities to expand the behavioral health workforce.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill explicitly targets the improvement of the mental health and substance use disorder workforce in rural areas. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill focuses on expanding provider capacity through Medicaid and CHIP, which primarily serve low-income populations. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The emphasis on underserved areas can benefit Native American communities that often lack behavioral health resources.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill specifically focuses on improving the capacity of the mental health workforce in rural areas.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Increasing access to mental health services through Medicaid and CHIP can support low-income individuals in their efforts to achieve stability.
- 7/22/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 1 Cosponsor 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.
Glenn ThompsonRepublican · Pennsylvania