Rural Wellness Act

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Latest Action

Mar 28, 2025

Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.

Summaries (1)

Introduced in House - Mar 6, 2025 00

Rural Wellness ActThis bill prioritizes behavioral and mental health treatment services under certain rural development grant and loan programs. The bill also reauthorizes through FY2029 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.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).

Actions (4)

Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.

Type: Committee | Source: House committee actions | Code: H11000

Mar 28, 2025

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Type: IntroReferral | Source: House floor actions | Code: H11100

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced in House

Type: IntroReferral | Source: Library of Congress | Code: Intro-H

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced in House

Type: IntroReferral | Source: Library of Congress | Code: 1000

Mar 6, 2025

Subjects (1)

Agriculture and Food (Policy Area)

Cosponsors (5)

Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]

(D-NM)
May 8, 2025

Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]

(R-PA)
Mar 11, 2025

Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]

(D-NC)
Mar 6, 2025

Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1]

(R-MN)
Mar 6, 2025

Rep. Taylor, David [R-OH-2]

(R-OH)
Mar 6, 2025

Text Versions (1)

Introduced in House

Mar 6, 2025

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Full Bill Text

Length: 3,511 characters Version: Introduced in House Version Date: Mar 6, 2025 Last Updated: Nov 12, 2025 6:26 AM

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1906 Introduced in House

(IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1906

To provide for the prioritization of projects that provide behavioral
and mental health treatment services in selecting grantees under
certain rural development programs, and extend the substance abuse
disorder set-aside and priority under the programs.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 6, 2025

Ms. Budzinski (for herself, Mr. Finstad, Mr. Davis of North Carolina,
and Mr. Taylor) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To provide for the prioritization of projects that provide behavioral
and mental health treatment services in selecting grantees under
certain rural development programs, and extend the substance abuse
disorder set-aside and priority under the programs.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1.

This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Wellness Act''.

SEC. 2.

HEALTH TREATMENT SERVICES IN SELECTING GRANTEES UNDER
CERTAIN RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS; EXTENSION OF
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SET-ASIDE AND PRIORITY UNDER THE
PROGRAMS.

Section 6101 (a) (1) of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (132 Stat.

(a)

(1) of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (132
Stat. 4726) is amended--

(1) by striking ``2025'' and inserting ``2029'';

(2) in subparagraph
(A) , by striking ``20'' each place it
appears and inserting ``17'';

(3) in subparagraph
(B) --
(A) in clause
(ii) --
(i) by inserting ``or
(ii) '' before ``that
receives''; and
(ii) by inserting ``or for behavioral and
mental health treatment, respectively'' before
the period; and
(B) by redesignating clause
(ii) as clause
(iii) and inserting after clause
(i) the following:
``
(ii) Behavioral and mental health
treatment selection priority.--In selecting
recipients of direct loans or grants for the
development of essential community facilities
under

section 306 (a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.

(a) of the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926

(a) ),
the Secretary shall give priority to entities
eligible for those direct loans or grants--
``
(I) to develop facilities to
provide behavioral and mental health
services such as--
``

(aa) prevention services;
``

(bb) treatment services;
``
(cc) recovery services;
or
``
(dd) any combination of
those services; and
``
(II) that employ staff that have
appropriate expertise and training in
how to identify and treat individuals
with behavioral and mental health
concerns.''; and

(4) by adding at the end the following:
``
(D) Rural health and safety education programs;
behavioral and mental health selection priority.--In
making grants under

section 502 (i) of the Rural Development Act of 1972 (7 U.

(i) of the Rural
Development Act of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2662
(i) ), the
Secretary shall give priority to an applicant that will
use the grant for behavioral and mental health
education and treatment.''.
<all>

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1906 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1906

 To provide for the prioritization of projects that provide behavioral 
 and mental health treatment services in selecting grantees under 
 certain rural development programs, and extend the substance abuse 
 disorder set-aside and priority under the programs.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 6, 2025

 Ms. Budzinski (for herself, Mr. Finstad, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, 
 and Mr. Taylor) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To provide for the prioritization of projects that provide behavioral 
 and mental health treatment services in selecting grantees under 
 certain rural development programs, and extend the substance abuse 
 disorder set-aside and priority under the programs.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Wellness Act''.

SEC. 2. PRIORITIZATION OF PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL 
 HEALTH TREATMENT SERVICES IN SELECTING GRANTEES UNDER 
 CERTAIN RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS; EXTENSION OF 
 SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SET-ASIDE AND PRIORITY UNDER THE 
 PROGRAMS.

 

Section 6101

    (a)

    (1) of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (132 
Stat. 4726) is amended--

    (1) by striking ``2025'' and inserting ``2029'';

    (2) in subparagraph
        (A) , by striking ``20'' each place it 
 appears and inserting ``17'';

    (3) in subparagraph
        (B) --
        (A) in clause
            (ii) --
            (i) by inserting ``or
            (ii) '' before ``that 
 receives''; and
            (ii) by inserting ``or for behavioral and 
 mental health treatment, respectively'' before 
 the period; and
        (B) by redesignating clause
            (ii) as clause
            (iii) and inserting after clause
            (i) the following:
 ``
            (ii) Behavioral and mental health 
 treatment selection priority.--In selecting 
 recipients of direct loans or grants for the 
 development of essential community facilities 
 under 

section 306

    (a) of the Consolidated Farm 
 and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926

    (a) ), 
 the Secretary shall give priority to entities 
 eligible for those direct loans or grants--
 ``
            (I) to develop facilities to 
 provide behavioral and mental health 
 services such as--
 ``

    (aa) prevention services;
 ``

    (bb) treatment services;
 ``
            (cc) recovery services; 
 or
 ``
            (dd) any combination of 
 those services; and
 ``
            (II) that employ staff that have 
 appropriate expertise and training in 
 how to identify and treat individuals 
 with behavioral and mental health 
 concerns.''; and

    (4) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (D) Rural health and safety education programs; 
 behavioral and mental health selection priority.--In 
 making grants under 

section 502
            (i) of the Rural 
 Development Act of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2662
            (i) ), the 
 Secretary shall give priority to an applicant that will 
 use the grant for behavioral and mental health 
 education and treatment.''.
 <all>

View original source ↗

119-hr1906