Federal scholarship program aims to expand mental health workforce in underserved areas
H.R. 3655 — STAR Plus Scholarship Act · Filed by Andrea Salinas (D-OR) · 3 cosponsors · Introduced May 29, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a federal scholarship program that pays tuition and living expenses for students pursuing careers in substance use disorder treatment, mental health, and behavioral health. In exchange, scholarship recipients must commit to working full-time in underserved areas (mental health shortage areas, high-overdose counties, or designated facilities) for one year per year of scholarship received. The scholarships are tax-free, and the program is authorized to spend $75 million annually through 2030.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a direct federal scholarship program tied to obligated service in underserved mental health and addiction treatment settings. It is a straightforward public-health workforce investment, not a tax carve-out, deregulation, or private subsidy.
What the text implies
- The program's success depends entirely on appropriations; if Congress fails to fund it, the authorization is meaningless and no scholarships are awarded.
- The 'covered employment' definition is broad enough to include private practices, potentially allowing scholarship recipients to work in for-profit settings while the public bears the training cost.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
accredited educational institutions (tuition payments); health professions schools (distribution of informational materials)