Stop Mental Health Stigma in Our Communities Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3316
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-09: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-19T09:07:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The "Stop Mental Health Stigma in Our Communities Act of 2025" (H.R. 3316) aims to address mental health disparities in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities by amending the Public Health Service Act. It focuses on creating a national strategy for outreach and education to reduce stigma around behavioral health treatment (which includes mental health and substance use disorders) and funding research to better understand and improve behavioral health outcomes for this population.
Key Provisions
- Definitions: Defines "AANHPI" as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations, and "Secretary" as the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), unless specified otherwise.
- Findings: Highlights the rapid growth and diversity of AANHPI communities (over 70 ethnicities and 100 languages); a mental health crisis with low treatment rates (only 35% of Asian adults with challenges received care in 2023); suicide as the leading cause of death for AANHPI youth aged 10-24; barriers like stigma, limited culturally appropriate services, and insufficient research; and the need for disaggregated data (breaking down information by subgroups) to tailor solutions.
- National AANHPI Behavioral Health Outreach and Education Strategy (adds new Section 554 to the Public Health Service Act):
- Requires HHS, through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to develop and implement a strategy in coordination with the Office of Minority Health, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Involves consultation with advocacy and behavioral health organizations serving AANHPI communities.
- Strategy elements include: meeting diverse cultural and language needs; being age- and development-appropriate; raising awareness of mental health symptoms across subgroups (considering factors like gender, age, sexual orientation, and ethnicity); providing public information on evidence-based, culturally adapted treatments; engaging community members in development; and promoting a holistic public health approach linking behavioral and physical health.
- Requires annual reports to Congress starting one year after enactment, assessing increased awareness of mental health and substance use disorders, with public availability.
- Authorizes $3 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
- Systematic Review of AANHPI Youth Behavioral Health Crisis:
- HHS, coordinated with NIH, CDC, and Office of Minority Health, must conduct a review assessing prevalence, risk factors, root causes of mental health issues and substance misuse; suicide and overdose rates/methods; and treatment access among AANHPI youth.
- Requires a report to Senate and House committees (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Energy and Commerce) within one year of enactment, including barriers to services, root causes, evidence-based recommendations for HHS actions, legislative/administrative suggestions to reduce depression, suicide, and overdoses, and other recommendations; publicly available.
- Data must be disaggregated by factors like race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, region, and disability, while protecting privacy under federal and state laws.
- Authorizes $1.5 million for fiscal year 2026.
- Systematic Review of AANHPI Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage:
- HHS, coordinated with Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Labor, and Office of Minority Health, must review strategies to increase AANHPI representation in the behavioral health workforce (defined as licensed/certified professionals in fields like psychology, social work, psychiatry, counseling, and peer support).
- Review assesses: number of AANHPI workers; their licenses, practice locations, employers (e.g., hospitals, schools); cultural/linguistic skills (e.g., languages spoken); barriers to education and workforce entry; and participation in federal training programs.
- Requires a report to the same congressional committees within one year, covering workers' awareness of barriers like stigma and language issues, HHS actions to increase AANHPI workers, suggestions for improving enrollment in training programs, and other recommendations; publicly available.
- Data disaggregation and privacy protections as above.
- Authorizes $1.5 million for fiscal year 2026.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new section (SEC. 554) to Part D of Title V of the Public Health Service Act, mandating a dedicated national outreach strategy for AANHPI behavioral health, which did not previously exist.
- Introduces requirements for two new systematic reviews and congressional reports on AANHPI youth crises and workforce shortages, emphasizing disaggregated data collection—expanding beyond general mental health provisions to target this specific population.
- Authorizes new funding streams ($6 million total in FY2026, plus $3 million annually through 2030) specifically for these initiatives, without altering broader mental health funding structures.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HHS, NIH, CDC, and related offices will face new coordination and reporting duties, potentially increasing administrative workload but also enabling targeted resource allocation for minority health equity. Authorizations provide dedicated funding to support implementation.
- Citizens: AANHPI individuals, particularly youth, may benefit from reduced stigma, improved access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services, better data-driven interventions, and a more diverse behavioral health workforce, potentially lowering suicide and substance use rates. Broader public could gain from holistic health education materials.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. populations and health policy.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- AANHPI Communities: Primary beneficiaries, including diverse ethnic subgroups, youth, and those facing mental health or substance use challenges; advocacy organizations serving them will be consulted.
- Behavioral Health Workforce and Providers: Professionals (e.g., counselors, psychiatrists) and organizations, especially those aiming to increase AANHPI representation and cultural competency.
- Government Entities: HHS and its sub-agencies (e.g., Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Office of Minority Health); congressional committees receiving reports.
- Researchers and Educators: NIH, CDC, and academic institutions involved in data collection, reviews, and training programs.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Emphasizes privacy protections in data handling, aligning with laws like HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which safeguards health information). Authorizations for appropriations signal intent for funding but do not guarantee it—actual allocation depends on congressional budgets.
- Constitutional: Supports equal protection under the 14th Amendment by addressing health disparities in underserved minority groups, promoting equitable access to services without creating new rights or mandates on individuals.
- Political: Introduced with bipartisan cosponsors (e.g., Democrats and Republicans), reflecting cross-party interest in minority health; could influence future equity-focused legislation by highlighting data disaggregation needs, but faces potential hurdles in funding debates or implementation oversight.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (27)
Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-09: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2025-05-09: Introduced in House
- 2025-05-09: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Stop Mental Health Stigma in Our Communities Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-09 — PDF (12 pages)