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Hirono, Padilla Reintroduce Legislation to Improve Access to Mental Health Care

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) led Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in reintroducing the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act, legislation that addresses the mental health crisis facing our youth through funding to support research, improves the pipeline of culturally competent providers, builds outreach programs that reduce stigma, and develops a training program for providers to effectively manage disparities. This legislation would authorize $995 million in grants and other funding to support research and improve the quality and accessibility of mental healthcare. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ).

“While mental health challenges affect us all, communities of color are often disproportionately impacted and lack access to the resources needed to overcome these challenges,” said Senator Hirono. “By authorizing funding to support clinical research, establish a national education and outreach strategy to reduce mental health stigma, and develop culturally-competent training for primary care providers, the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act will help to improve access to mental health care for minorities. I am proud to lead the introduction of this critical bill with Congresswoman Watson Coleman and will continue working to ensure that every community can access the mental health care they need and deserve.”

The Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act would address the mental health crisis by:

  • Authorizing $750 million annually for 5 years for the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities;
  • Authorizing $150 million annually over 5 years for the National Institute of Health to build relations with communities and support clinical research, including on racial or ethnic disparities in physical and mental health;
  • Authorizing $15 million annually over 5 years for the Department of Health and Human Services to develop an outreach and education strategy to promote behavioral and mental health and reduce stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance abuse among minority groups;
  • Updating the Primary and Behavioral Health Care Grant Program to ensure that special consideration is given to serving a high proportion of racial and ethnic minority groups. This program will also be reauthorized from fiscal year 2024 through 2029 at $80 million annually;
  • Amending Section 597 of the Public Health Service Act to allow funds to be used to promote best practices or core competencies addressing mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups for training students in the behavioral health field; and
  • Directing the National Institutes of Health to enter into an arrangement with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine or another body to study mental health disparities in racial and ethnic minority groups and submit the result to Congress.

The full text of the legislation is available here.

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