A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to award grants to train community mental wellness workers, and for other purposes.

119th Congress Introduced by Cory Booker

Provides grants to train and deploy community mental wellness workers to expand local, preventive mental health services.

Introduced in Senate

Overview

S 5365, introduced in the 119th Congress, authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to award grants to train community mental wellness workers. The bill’s primary aim is to expand the workforce and capacity for community-based mental health support.

Purpose and Intent

Create and support a program to train individuals as community mental wellness workers.

Strengthen access to mental health services at the community level, particularly in underserved or underserved areas.

Leverage federal grant funding to build a trained, locally available workforce capable of delivering preventive and early intervention mental health services and referrals.

Key Provisions

Authorization of Grant Funding: The bill directs HHS, via the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to award grants for training programs related to community mental wellness work.

Training Focus: Grants presumably cover curricula, training activities, supervision, and related supports to prepare individuals for roles as community mental wellness workers.

Administration and Oversight: The Secretary/Assistant Secretary would implement grant criteria, application processes, reporting requirements, and oversight to ensure program effectiveness and accountability.

Scope of Activities: While specific programmatic details are not enumerated in the summary, expectations typically include recruitment of trainees, development of training modules, placement supports, and monitoring of outcomes.

Who Would Be Affected

Prospective Trainees: Individuals seeking pathways into community-based mental health roles.

Community Organizations: Local or nonprofit entities that would partner with grantees to deliver training and place workers in communities.

Mental Health Service Providers: Agencies and programs that would hire or integrate trained community mental wellness workers into their service delivery models.

Public Health Infrastructure: Regions or populations with limited access to mental health services that could see improved outreach and early intervention capacity.

Timeline and Procedural Aspects

Introduced in the Senate and read twice.

Referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) for consideration (as of 2026-08-07).

Signed by Sponsor and Co-sponsor: Cory Booker is listed as a co-sponsor.

No specific appropriations amounts or funding duration are provided in the available summary; such details would typically be clarified in committee markups or amendments.

Potential Impact

Workforce Expansion: Increased number of trained community mental wellness workers, expanding the reach of mental health services in communities.

Access and Early Intervention: Potential improvements in access to prevention, early identification, and referral to higher levels of care.

Community-Based Approach: Emphasis on locally embedded providers who can address cultural and contextual factors influencing mental health.

Notes

Details on grant amounts, qualifications, performance metrics, eligibility criteria, and funding duration are not specified in the available summary and would be defined in the bill’s text or subsequent amendments.

The bill signals a federal commitment to bolster community-based mental health capacity, aligning with broader public health priorities around mental health infrastructure.