S. 2533Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Improving Access to Mental Health Services Act

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Updated April 15, 2026 at 8:42 PM UTC

The Improving Access to Mental Health Services Act changes the Public Health Service Act so that members of the National Health Service Corps can be assigned to work as behavioral and mental health professionals in schools, other community locations, or patients' homes when those sites are in health professional shortage areas. The time they spend in these roles counts toward the service requirements of their scholarship or loan‑repayment programs, and there is no cap on how many hours can be counted.

Key Provisions

Allows a Corps member’s assigning entity to direct them to provide mental‑health services at schools or community‑based settings in shortage areas.
Allows the same for home‑visit mental‑health services to patients in shortage areas.
Counts any such service toward the member’s required service time for scholarship or loan‑repayment programs.
Specifies that there is no maximum limit on the number of hours that can be counted toward those obligations.
States that this authority applies even if other parts of the law might suggest otherwise.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

March 12, 2018

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 12, 2018

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

March 12, 2018

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued March 12, 2018

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 2533

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 12, 2018

Ms. Smith (for herself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to allow National Health Service Corps members to provide obligated service as behavioral and mental health professionals at schools, other community-based settings, or patient homes, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Improving Access to Mental Health Services Act.

National Health Service Corps behavioral and mental health professionals providing obligated service in schools, other community-based settings, and patient homes

Subpart III of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

338N.

Behavioral and mental health professionals providing obligated service in schools, other community-based settings, and patient homes

(a)

Schools and community-Based settings

An entity, to which a Corps member is assigned under section 333, may direct such Corps member to provide service as a behavioral and mental health professional at schools or other community-based settings located in health professional shortage areas.

(b)

Patient homes

An entity, to which a Corps member is assigned under section 333, may direct such Corps member to provide service as a behavioral and mental health professional through visiting the home of a patient located in a health professional shortage area.

(c)

Obligated service

Any service described in subsection (a) or (b) that a Corps member provides may count towards such Corps member's completion of any obligated service requirements under the Scholarship Program or the Loan Repayment Program. The Secretary shall not impose any maximum limitation on the number of hours of service described in subsection (a) or (b) that a Corps member may count towards completing such obligated service requirements.

(d)

Rule of construction

The authorization under subsection (a) or (b) shall be notwithstanding any other provision of this subpart or subpart II.