New Bill Tags $50 Million in Telehealth Grants for Mental Health Providers

With behavioral health issues skyrocketing during the coronavirus pandemic, a New Mexico lawmaker has introduced a bill aimed at transitioning peer support programs onto telehealth platforms to boost access.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto has reintroduced the Virtual Support Act, which would set aside $50 million in grants through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to help care providers launch new virtual care services and expand existing ones online.

“For everyone struggling with mental health concerns, from first responders carrying the trauma they see at a crime scene to the heavy burden our students face during the pandemic, peer support can be the key difference that saves someone’s life,” Cortez Masto said in a press release. “That is why I’ve reintroduced my Virtual Peer Support Act to help key behavioral health programs that have already proven to be effective in improving mental health outcomes move online to meet the huge community needs during this pandemic.”

Cortez Masto submitted the bill during last year’s Legislative session, but it – and so many other connected health bills – died in committee. She’s hoping a new administration and increasing pressure on Congress to take action on telehealth adoption will make the prospects better for passage or inclusion in a larger package of bills.

It addresses an important topic. While substance abuse and mental health issues were increasing prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the pandemic has forced many care providers to curtail or eliminate in-person services due to risk of infection, making access to care even more difficult.

The grants would help care providers not only acquire the technology to go online or expand existing programs, but train and/or hire additional peer-support specialists to handle virtual care. They would also be used to target populations that face barriers to care, from underserved communities to those affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

The bill also calls on the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse to report to Congress within three years on the effectiveness of the grant program.

The bill is supported by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Mental Health America and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.