Rural Wellness Act
Key claim: The Rural Wellness Act prioritizes behavioral and mental health treatment under USDA rural development loan and grant programs and reauthorizes substance use disorder treatment set-asides through FY2029.
Abstract
(HR1906 · 119th Congress)
Rural Wellness Act This bill prioritizes behavioral and mental health treatment services under certain rural development grant and loan programs. The bill also reauthorizes through FY2029 the set-asides and prioritizations for substance use disorder treatment services under the Department of Agriculture’s (1) Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, (2) Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program, and (3) Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program. Under the community facilities program, the bill prioritizes direct loans and grants for the development of behavioral and mental health services facilities, including facilities that provide treatment services. Further, loans and grants provided under the program may be used to develop facilities and systems to provide telehealth services for behavioral and mental health treatment. Under the Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program, the bill prioritizes grants for behavioral and mental health education and treatment. Under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants Program, the bill includes a 17% set-aside for telemedicine projects that provide substance use disorder treatment services (currently a 20% set-aside).
Latest action (2025-03-28): Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.
Why this matters
USDA’s Community Facilities and related rural development programs are a primary federal funding channel for health infrastructure in rural areas where hospitals and clinics are closing. Prioritizing behavioral health and reauthorizing SUD set-asides through FY2029 signals continued federal use of agriculture-jurisdiction programs to address rural health gaps, with downstream effects on farm-community access to care rather than on food prices.