Bill · S. 5120· Senate(119-S-5120)
Increasing Mental Health Options Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 7/23/2026
- Last activity
- 7/23/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Sponsored by
- Martin Heinrich
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Increasing Mental Health Options Act of 2026 aims to amend the Social Security Act to increase access to psychological and behavioral health services. It proposes an incentive payment for clinical psychologists practicing in designated health professional shortage areas. The bill also seeks to reduce oversight requirements for services provided by clinical psychologists in several settings. These settings include comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, partial hospitalization services, home health services, and inpatient psychiatric hospital services. These changes are intended to allow patients to receive care from or under the supervision of a clinical psychologist as authorized by State law.
Yes· 3 of 8
Does this make mental health care easier to get?+7
The bill expands access to psychological and behavioral health services by allowing clinical psychologists to provide care in various settings.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+6
The bill specifically incentivizes psychologists to practice in health professional shortage areas, which often include rural communities.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+5
The bill improves access to care by incentivizing psychologist practice in designated health professional shortage areas.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Incentives for Rural Practice: Under Section 2, clinical psychologists providing services in areas designated as health professional shortage areas will receive an additional payment equal to 10 percent of the service payment amount from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund. This is intended to encourage practice in underserved areas.
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Expanded Care Options in Outpatient Settings: Section 3(a) allows individuals receiving qualified psychologist services in comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities to be under the care of a clinical psychologist as authorized under State law.
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Improved Oversight for Nursing Facilities: Section 3(b) updates rules for skilled nursing facilities so that residents receiving qualified psychologist services may be under the supervision of a clinical psychologist as authorized under State law.
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Enhanced Partial Hospitalization Care: Section 3(c) amends rules for partial hospitalization services to allow patients to be under the care of a clinical psychologist or under their supervision as authorized under State law.
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Expanded Home Health Care: Section 3(d) modifies home health services to allow individuals to be under the care of a clinical psychologist as authorized under State law.
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Support in Psychiatric Hospitals: Section 3(e) updates inpatient psychiatric hospital services to allow patients receiving qualified psychologist services to be under the supervision of a clinical psychologist as authorized under State law.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly mentioned in the text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Healthcare
- Improves Mental Health Access+7Improves Healthcare Access+5Increases Medicare Funding+4
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+6Good For Seniors+5Good For Low Income Households+4
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+1
- 7/23/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
John KennedyRepublican · Louisiana