July 24, 2025
Mr. Padilla (for himself, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Heinrich, and Ms. Hirono) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a behavioral and mental health outreach and education strategy to reduce stigma associated with mental health among the Hispanic and Latino populations, and for other purposes.
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 Mental Health for Latinos Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Hispanic and Latino behavioral and mental health outreach and education strategy
Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290dd et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
554. Behavioral and mental health outreach and education strategy
(a) In general
The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall, in coordination with advocacy and behavioral and mental health organizations serving populations of Hispanic and Latino individuals or communities, develop and implement an outreach and education strategy to promote behavioral and mental health and reduce stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance abuse among the Hispanic and Latino populations. Such strategy shall—
(1)
be designed to—
(A)
meet the diverse cultural and language needs of the various Hispanic and Latino populations; and
(B)
be developmentally and age appropriate;
(2)
increase awareness of symptoms of mental illnesses common among such populations, taking into account differences within subgroups, such as gender, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, of such populations;
(3)
provide information on evidence-based, culturally and linguistically appropriate and adapted interventions and treatments;
(4)
ensure full participation of, and engage, both consumers and community members in the development and implementation of materials; and
(5)
seek to broaden the perspective among both individuals in these communities and stakeholders serving these communities to use a comprehensive public health approach to promoting behavioral health that addresses a holistic view of health by focusing on the intersection between behavioral and physical health.
(b) Reports
Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall submit to Congress, and make publicly available, a report on the extent to which the strategy developed and implemented under subsection (a) improved behavioral and mental health outcomes associated with mental health conditions and substance abuse among Hispanic and Latino populations.
(c) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.