H.R. 2959House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Child Health Outreach and Mentorship Program Act

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Updated April 15, 2026 at 4:30 PM UTC

The Child Health Outreach and Mentorship Program Act updates the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provisions in the Social Security Act. It extends the existing outreach and enrollment grant program through 2023, provides new funding levels, and adds "parent mentors" as eligible recipients of those grants. The changes aim to help families enroll uninsured children and address broader health‑related needs.

Key Provisions

Extends the CHIP outreach and enrollment grant authority from its previous 2017 deadline to 2023.
Reauthorizes grant funding at $40 million for FY 2016‑2017 and $20 million each year from FY 2018 through FY 2023.
Adds "parent mentors" to the list of entities that can receive CHIP outreach and enrollment grants.
Defines a parent mentor as a parent or guardian who is trained to help families with uninsured children by providing insurance education, application assistance, liaison services, guidance on medical and dental homes, and referrals to address social determinants such as poverty, food insecurity, and housing.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

June 23, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 20, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

June 20, 2017

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

June 23, 2017

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued June 20, 2017

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2959

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 20, 2017

Mr. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to allow for parent mentors to be eligible to receive outreach and enrollment grants under the Children’s Health Insurance Program under such title, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Child Health Outreach and Mentorship Program Act.

Outreach and enrollment grants under CHIP

(a)

Extension and reauthorization

(1)

Extension

Section 2113(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397mm(a)) is amended by striking 2017 and inserting 2023.

(2)

Reauthorization

Section 2113(g) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397mm(a)) is amended by striking $140,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2009 through 2015 and $40,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2016 and 2017 and inserting the following: $40,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2016 and 2017 and $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2023.

(b)

Making parent mentors eligible to receive grants

Section 2113(f) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397mm(f)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(H)

Parent mentors.

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(5)

Parent mentor

The term parent mentor means an individual who—

(A)

is a parent or guardian of at least one child who is an eligible child under this title or title XIX; and

(B)

is trained to assist families with children who have no health insurance coverage with respect to improving the social determinants of the health of such children, including by providing—

(i)

education about health insurance coverage, including, with respect to obtaining such coverage, eligibility criteria and application and renewal processes;

(ii)

assistance with completing and submitting applications for health insurance coverage;

(iii)

a liaison between families and representatives of State plans under title XIX or State child health plans under this title;

(iv)

guidance on identifying medical and dental homes and community pharmacies for children; and

(v)

assistance and referrals to successfully address social determinants of children’s health, including poverty, food insufficiency, and housing.