Mental Health for Latinos Act of 2025
Mental Health for Latinos Act of 2025 would amend the Public Health Service Act to create a federally led outreach and education strategy aimed at reducing stigma and expanding access to behavioral and mental health resources among Hispanic and Latino populations. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Assistant Secretary, would coordinate with advocacy and community organizations to design and implement a culturally and linguistically tailored program. The strategy would address diverse subgroups within Hispanic/Latino communities, promote awareness of symptoms, provide information on evidence-based and culturally appropriate treatments, actively involve consumers and community members in development and execution, and emphasize a holistic public health approach that connects behavioral and physical health. The bill also requires annual reporting to Congress and public release on progress and outcomes, and it authorizes $1 million for fiscal year 2026 to carry out the section.
Key Points
- 1Establishes a new outreach and education strategy (SEC. 554) within Part D of the Public Health Service Act to reduce stigma and promote mental health among Hispanic and Latino populations.
- 2Strategy must be culturally and linguistically appropriate, developmentally/age appropriate, and tailored to diverse subgroups (including considerations of gender, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, and ethnicity).
- 3Requires information on symptoms of mental illnesses and substance use, and on evidence-based, culturally and linguistically adapted interventions and treatments.
- 4Mandates active participation of consumers and community members in developing and implementing materials and programs; promotes a holistic public health approach linking behavioral and physical health.
- 5Includes annual reporting to Congress and public dissemination on the strategy’s impact on behavioral and mental health outcomes; assigns a specific funding authorization of $1,000,000 for FY 2026.