ATTAIN Mental Health Act
- Bill Number
- S. 1878
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-22: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-14T11:03:26Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Achieving Thorough Transparency and Accessibility for Information Navigation on Mental Health Act of 2025 (ATTAIN Mental Health Act) aims to create a user-friendly online tool that makes federal grant information on mental health and substance use disorder programs more accessible to the public, especially for those applying for funding. This helps improve transparency and ease of use for grants focused on prevention, treatment, recovery, and support in these areas.
Key Provisions
- Establishment and Timeline: The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) must create and manage an interactive, web-based dashboard within 2 years of the bill's enactment. An implementation plan must be publicly released within 180 days, building on or improving existing public websites where possible.
- Design and Accessibility: The dashboard must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which ensures it is usable by people with disabilities, such as through features like screen reader compatibility.
- Consultation Process: HHS will consult with federal agencies (e.g., NIH, Indian Health Service, VA), Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, and user groups like schools, nonprofits, mental health providers, law enforcement, and community organizations. Consultations will cover design elements like search tools, data display, and user-friendliness.
- Content and Updates: The dashboard must list federal (and related state) grant programs for mental health and substance use disorders, including:
- Program names and identifiers (e.g., grant numbers or authorizations).
- Current fiscal year status: whether applications are open, closed, or awarded, with dates.
- For block grants (funds given to states or Tribes for flexible use), voluntary state/Tribal data on subgrant (smaller grants passed down) availability, including links if different from federal programs.
- Search and Navigation Features: Users can search by categories (e.g., type of program) and location. It must include links to full program details and online applications.
- Data Integration: States and Tribes can voluntarily submit data on how federal funds are distributed, which HHS can incorporate to show subgrant opportunities.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new centralized online dashboard, which does not exist in current law. It builds on existing public grant websites (like those on Grants.gov) by focusing specifically on mental health and substance use disorders, adding interactive features, real-time updates, and voluntary state/Tribal integration. No major amendments to prior laws are made; it primarily adds an administrative tool for better information sharing.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HHS will bear the cost and responsibility for development, maintenance, and updates, potentially requiring coordination with multiple agencies. Other federal bodies (e.g., Education, VA) may provide input but face no new mandates. States and Tribes could see streamlined reporting if they choose to participate, reducing fragmented information across sites.
- Citizens: Improves access to funding opportunities for individuals and organizations in mental health and substance use fields, potentially increasing grant applications from underserved groups like schools, nonprofits, and Tribal programs. This could lead to more effective use of federal funds for community support.
- International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. grant programs.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: Primarily HHS, with input from NIH, SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), Indian Health Service, and others like Education, VA, and HUD.
- State and Local Governments: States, Tribes, and Tribal organizations, which can voluntarily share subgrant data; also local educational agencies, municipal governments, and law enforcement.
- Community and Service Providers: Nonprofits, faith-based groups, mental health/substance use treatment facilities, schools (including HBCUs and Tribal colleges), housing services, drug courts, first responders, and Urban Indian/Native Hawaiian organizations.
- Potential Applicants: Researchers, care providers, recovery programs, and minority-serving institutions seeking grants.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Enhances compliance with existing transparency laws (e.g., Freedom of Information Act principles) by centralizing data without mandating new disclosures. Voluntary state participation avoids federal overreach into state affairs, respecting federalism.
- Constitutional: Aligns with equal protection goals by mandating ADA accessibility and consulting diverse stakeholders, including Tribes (honoring treaty obligations) and minority institutions, to promote equity in funding access.
- Political: Could foster bipartisan support for mental health initiatives by improving efficiency and visibility of federal spending, potentially reducing administrative barriers in a politically sensitive area like substance use disorders amid ongoing public health challenges. No controversial mandates, focusing on collaboration rather than enforcement.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (5)
Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN], Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV], Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-22: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-05-22: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Achieving Thorough Transparency and Accessibility for Information Navigation on Mental Health Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-22 — PDF (8 pages)