119 S5137 IS: Compacts, Access, and Responsible Expansion for Mental Health Professionals Act U.S. Senate 2026-07-27 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II119th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 5137IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJuly 27, 2026Mr. King introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsA BILLTo direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to establish a grant program to be known as the Mental Health Licensure Portability Program to award grants to eligible entities, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Compacts, Access, and Responsible Expansion for Mental Health Professionals Act or the CARE for Mental Health Professionals Act.

2.

Mental Health Licensure Portability Program

(a)

Establishment

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator, shall establish a grant program to be known as the Mental Health Licensure Portability Program to award grants to eligible entities for projects to—(1)incentivize counselors to practice in States that have entered into interstate compacts for the purpose of expanding the workforce of credentialed mental health professionals; and(2)develop, operate, or maintain interstate compact commissions authorized to effectuate the provisions of interstate compacts entered into by such States.(b)

Definitions

In this Act:(1)

Administrator

The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration.(2)

Commission

The term commission means a joint interstate governmental agency comprised of States that have entered into an interstate compact for the purpose of implementing, facilitating, and effectuating provisions of such interstate compact.(3)

Counselor

The term counselor means a licensed professional that is trained to give guidance to individuals, families, and groups with respect to personal, social, or psychological problems.(4)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means a professional, psychiatric, psychological, social work, or pediatric counseling interstate compact commission or licensure board of a State that is participating in an occupational licensure interstate compact.(5)

Interstate compact

The term compact means an occupational licensure agreement enacted by 2 or more States that is based on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications through criteria stipulated in such agreement, in which a State agrees to recognize the issuance of a license by another State to a counselor, psychiatrist, psychologist, or pediatric mental health professional.(6)

State

The term State has the meaning given the term in section 6501 of title 31, United States Code.(c)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2030.