9–8–8 Crisis Response Workforce Act
Expands behavioral health training and fellowships to include crisis response work and requires data on crisis services in shortage areas.
In the House Energy and Commerce Committee since Oct. 5, 2026, 3 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROOCT 5, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- SENATESENATE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
Behavioral health crisis services rely on trained workers who can respond to people in crisis. The bill would expand federal training grants and fellowships to include crisis response work, authorize funding for those programs, and require publication of data on crisis services and workers in shortage areas.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Expand crisis-response workforce training
The bill would add crisis management training—including work at crisis call centers, mobile crisis teams, and crisis receiving and stabilization facilities—to behavioral health education and training grants. It would authorize $50 million per year for these grants for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, plus another $10 million per year for crisis workforce development for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
- Add crisis-management fellowships
The bill would make crisis management services a focus of postbaccalaureate fellowships for mental health and substance use disorder professionals. It would authorize $10 million per year for these fellowships for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
- Broaden existing fellowship training
The bill would specify that existing fellowships can support postbaccalaureate training in fields including psychiatry, nursing, social work, psychology, and addiction counseling. It would authorize $25 million per year for the fellowship program, except for the crisis-management fellowships, for fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
- Publish crisis-service availability data
The Secretary of Health and Human Services would collect and publish data comparing the availability of crisis services with need in health professional shortage areas. The data would cover crisis call centers, mobile crisis units, stabilization facilities, and professionals working in crisis response.
Crisis response depends on trained behavioral health workers, but the bill does not include findings quantifying a workforce shortage or describing its effects. Its practical focus is to make crisis-response skills part of federal training programs and to provide information about where services and workers are available.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedOCT 5, 2026HOUSEOCT 5, 2026By Rep. Carter with 7 original cosponsorsReferred to Energy and Commerce
- SAME DAYNOWHouse committeeOCT 5, 2026ENERGY & COMMERCE NOWOCT 5, 2026In committee for 3 daysNo hearing yet
- 3 DAYS SO FARPassed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Senate committee—SENATE—
- Passed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- OCT 52026OCT 5, 2026REFERREDHOUSEReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- OCT 52026OCT 5, 2026INTRODUCEDHOUSEIntroduced in House
At day 3, this bill is already older than 3% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
Where your members stand on it
A coalition from 6 states
Plus the sponsor, a Democrat. Every cosponsor is from one party.
Plus the sponsor, a Democrat. Every cosponsor is from one party.
Rep. Carter’s record: sponsored 32 bills this Congress. 4 passed the House; 0 became law.
- Nanette Diaz BarragánD-CA-44ORIGINAL
- Doris O. MatsuiD-CA-7ORIGINAL
- Jennifer L. McClellanD-VA-4ORIGINAL
- Eleanor Holmes NortonD-DC-ALORIGINAL
- Adam SmithD-WA-9ORIGINAL
- Lori TrahanD-MA-3ORIGINAL
- Bonnie Watson ColemanD-NJ-12ORIGINAL
What readers think
Discussion
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