Expand the Behavioral Health Workforce Now Act

Joe Neguse

Democrat · CO · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15)Original· 2026-07-22

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

2026-07-22

Source: Congress.gov

Expand the Behavioral Health Workforce Now Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to issue guidance for states on ways to increase education, training, recruitment, and retention of mental health and substance use disorder providers under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 9867 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9867 To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance to States on strategies under Medicaid and CHIP to increase mental health and substance use disorder care provider education, training, recruitment, and retention. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 22, 2026 Mr. Neguse (for himself and Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance to States on strategies under Medicaid and CHIP to increase mental health and substance use disorder care provider education, training, recruitment, and retention. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Expand the Behavioral Health Workforce Now Act''. SEC. 2. GUIDANCE TO STATES ON STRATEGIES UNDER MEDICAID AND CHIP TO INCREASE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER CARE PROVIDER EDUCATION, TRAINING, RECRUITMENT, AND RETENTION. Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall issue guidance to States on strategies under Medicaid and CHIP to increase education, training, recruitment, and retention of mental health and substance use disorder care providers that participate in Medicaid or CHIP, with a focus on improving the capacity of the mental health and substance use disorder care workforce in rural and underserved areas. Such guidance shall include, and not be limited to, strategies on how States may utilize waivers under section 1115 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315) and authorities under titles XIX and XXI of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq., 1397aa et seq.) for such purposes. <all>

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