Agricultural Access to Addiction and Mental Health Care Act

Key Points

• This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to study why farmers and ranchers often struggle to find mental health or addiction care. It focuses on people dealing with stress from extreme weather, long droughts, and unpredictable changes in the prices of their crops.
• The study will look at ways to bring more doctors to rural areas and how to use video calls for therapy. It also explores training more people to understand the specific culture and challenges of farm life so they can provide better support.
• Researchers will check if it is possible for the government to pay for six therapy sessions for farmers and their families. This would help families get professional help during times of high stress without having to pay out of pocket.
• The Department of Agriculture would have about six months to finish the study and report back to Congress. The bill provides 1 million dollars every year until 2029 to make sure this research is completed.

Impact Analysis

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