Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jul 13, 2023
Rural Wellness Act
This bill prioritizes behavioral and mental health treatment services under certain rural development grant and loan programs. The bill also reauthorizes through FY2028 the set-asides and prioritizations for substance use disorder treatment services under the Department of Agriculture's (1) Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, (2) Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program, and (3) Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program.
Under the community facilities program, the bill prioritizes direct loans and grants for the development of behavioral and mental health services facilities, including facilities that provide treatment services. Further, loans and grants provided under the program may be used to develop facilities and systems to provide telehealth services for behavioral and mental health treatment.
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Under the Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program, the bill prioritizes grants for behavioral and mental health education and treatment.
Under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants Program, the bill includes a 17% set-aside for telemedicine projects that provide substance use disorder treatment services (currently a 20% set-aside).
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 12, 2024. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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