CARE for Mental Health Professionals Act

Key Points

• This bill creates a new grant program to help mental health professionals work in multiple states. The program would provide money to state boards and organizations that manage agreements between states to recognize each other's professional licenses.
• The goal is to make it easier for counselors, psychologists, and social workers to provide care to patients across state lines. This is especially helpful for people living in rural areas or places where there are not enough local therapists to meet the demand.
• The policy would provide $4 million in funding each year from 2027 through 2030. This money would be used to set up and run the commissions that oversee these multi-state licensing agreements.
• By reducing the paperwork and costs for therapists to practice in different states, the bill aims to grow the mental health workforce. It encourages states to join together in compacts that treat a license from one member state as valid in all others.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.