The Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act aims to improve maternal health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum individuals in the criminal justice system by restricting financial incentives for states that use restraints on pregnant inmates. Under the bill, states receiving federal justice grants would face a 25 percent funding penalty if they fail to implement laws limiting the use of shackles on pregnant individuals, with those withheld funds redirected to compliant states. The legislation also directs the Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice to create and fund programs in at least six federal facilities and across various state and local prisons that provide specialized prenatal care, mental health support, and reentry assistance. These programs are designed to address specific health disparities, particularly for racial and ethnic minority groups, by offering culturally competent care, nutrition counseling, and opportunities to maintain contact with newborn children. Additionally, the act requires an independent oversight organization to monitor program implementation and mandates a Government Accountability Office report to analyze maternal and infant health data within the correctional system.
The Increasing Mental Health Options Act of 2026 expands Medicare coverage and oversight rules to include clinical psychologists in rural and underserved areas. Starting in 2026, clinical psychologists working in designated health professional shortage areas will receive an additional 10 percent payment for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries. The bill also removes certain federal restrictions that previously limited the types of care clinical psychologists could provide in outpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, partial hospitalization, home health, and inpatient psychiatric settings. These changes allow psychologists to supervise or provide care directly in these facilities as long as state laws permit it, while maintaining existing requirements for consultation with physicians.
This bill, known as Act 231, expands the pool of qualified professionals who can serve as child custody evaluators in Hawaii by including licensed mental health counselors. Currently, only marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers are eligible, but this legislation adds licensed mental health counselors to the list of approved professionals. The change aims to address high demand and long wait times for evaluations, which can delay critical decisions affecting children's well-being and increase costs for families. By allowing counselors to perform these evaluations, the bill seeks to reduce backlogs and make the process more accessible and equitable for families involved in family court proceedings.
This bill establishes a three-year pilot program allowing qualified clinical psychologists to prescribe specific psychotropic medications under the supervision of a physician or psychiatrist. The program is limited to treating patients between the ages of 18 and 65 at federally qualified health centers located in Kauai and Hawaii counties. The legislation aims to improve access to mental health care in these areas by expanding the scope of practice for psychologists who have completed specialized training in psychopharmacology.
This bill allows rural law enforcement agencies with fewer than 50 officers to receive free training grants from the Department of Justice. Instead of applying directly, these agencies can pool their funding with neighboring departments to hire accredited nonprofit organizations to deliver the training. The program specifically covers topics such as de-escalation, officer wellness, leadership, and handling situations involving mental health crises or domestic violence. By simplifying the application process and removing reporting burdens, the legislation aims to help smaller agencies access resources they previously lacked.
The Addictive Design Act of 2026 aims to protect youth under 18 from potential mental health risks associated with artificial intelligence chatbots by banning specific features designed to create emotional attachments. To support this goal, the bill establishes a government task force to study these impacts and provides funding for research and educational outreach to parents and teachers. The legislation also mandates that companies offering AI chatbots to minors must use age verification technology and delete user data within 24 hours. Companies that fail to comply with the ban on addictive design features or data privacy requirements face civil penalties of up to $10 million or $5,000 per violation, respectively.
The Improving CARE for Youth Act modifies Medicaid rules to allow payment for mental health, substance use disorder, and primary care services provided on the same day within the same clinic or health center. This change directly affects youth and adults receiving care by removing previous restrictions that often prevented billing for these combined visits. The bill defines "same-day qualifying services" to include scenarios where a patient sees both a primary care provider and a mental health specialist in one visit, or vice versa, at facilities like Federally qualified health centers or physician offices. By updating the Social Security Act, the legislation aims to streamline access to coordinated care without imposing new limitations on how these services are billed.
The CARE for Mental Health Professionals Act creates a federal grant program to support states that have joined interstate agreements allowing mental health counselors to practice across state lines. These grants will help fund the organizations that manage these agreements and provide financial incentives for counselors to work in areas with a shortage of mental health professionals. The legislation authorizes up to $4 million per year from 2027 to 2030 to fund these projects and defines eligible recipients as state licensing boards or interstate compact commissions.
This bill expands the District of Columbia's Health Professional Loan Repayment Program to include certified addiction counselors, allowing them to receive debt repayment in exchange for working in underserved areas. It also clarifies that the program can cover up to 100% of eligible professionals' student loans, with maximum repayment caps ranging from $45,000 to $200,000 depending on their specific role and service commitment. Additionally, the legislation grants the Mayor the authority to adjust annual repayment amounts and allocation procedures based on available funding and the Consumer Price Index. These changes aim to improve access to healthcare for District residents by incentivizing medical and mental health professionals to work in Health Professional Shortage Areas.
This bill updates Pennsylvania's laws regarding advance health care directives to replace the outdated living will system with a more flexible framework that combines written instructions with the appointment of a trusted agent. It directly affects individuals who wish to plan for their future medical care, as well as healthcare providers who must follow these new rules. Key provisions include defining new terms like "cohabitant" and "end-stage medical condition," clarifying how to handle conflicting directives, and establishing specific guidelines for when a health care agent can make decisions. The legislation also addresses mental health care planning, outlines the duties of physicians, and sets standards for the validity and form of these legal documents.
