Purpose of the Bill

The bill allocates funds to support mental health services for African American children and families through the African American Child Wellness Institute. This institute specializes in culturally specific mental health care and aims to address critical mental health and substance use disorder needs.

Main Provisions

• The bill provides a grant of $5,250,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $5,512,500 for fiscal year 2027 to the African American Child Wellness Institute.
• These funds are to be utilized by the institute to enhance its capacity to deliver culturally specific, trauma-informed, and evidence-based mental health services.
• The funds aim to support services regardless of the recipient's ability to pay or place of residence, ensuring broad access.

Significant Changes

• This bill represents an increase in funding for the African American Child Wellness Institute, which will be continually supported with increased allocations of $5,250,000 in 2028 and $5,512,500 in 2029 and beyond. This emphasizes the commitment to ongoing support and expansion of culturally specific mental health services.

Relevant Terms

African American Child Wellness Institute, mental health, trauma-informed practice, substance use disorder, culturally specific services, evidence-based, grant, fiscal year, funding