I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2438 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 
the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, 
to establish a grant program to be known as the Mental Health Licensure 
Portability Program to award grants to eligible entities, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 30, 2023 
Mr. NEGUSE (for himself and Mr. FITZPATRICK) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
acting through the Administrator of the Health Re-
sources and Services Administration, to establish a grant 
program to be known as the Mental Health Licensure 
Portability Program to award grants to eligible entities, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Compacts, Access, and 
Responsible Expansion for Mental Health Professionals 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 Apr 12, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2438.IH
H2438
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
Act’’ or the ‘‘C.A.R.E. for Mental Health Professionals 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH LICENSURE PORTABILITY PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, acting through the Adminis-
trator, shall establish a grant program to be known as the 
Mental Health Licensure Portability Program to award 
grants to eligible entities for projects to— 
(1) incentivize counselors to practice in States 
that have entered into interstate compacts for the 
purpose of expanding the workforce of credentialed 
mental health professionals; and 
(2) develop, operate, or maintain interstate 
compact commissions authorized to effectuate the 
provisions of interstate compacts entered into by 
such States. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Health Re-
sources and Services Administration. 
(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘commission’’ 
means a joint interstate governmental agency com-
prised of States that have entered into an interstate 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 Apr 12, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2438.IH
H2438
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
compact for the purpose of implementing, facili-
tating, and effectuating provisions of such interstate 
compact. 
(3) COUNSELOR.—The term ‘‘counselor’’ means 
a licensed professional that is trained to give guid-
ance to individuals, families, and groups with respect 
to personal, social, or psychological problems. 
(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means a professional, psychiatric, psychological, 
social work, or pediatric counseling interstate com-
pact commission or licensure board of a State that 
is participating in an occupational licensure inter-
state compact. 
(5) INTERSTATE COMPACT.—The term ‘‘com-
pact’’ means an occupational licensure agreement 
enacted by 2 or more States that is based on the 
mutual recognition of professional qualifications 
through criteria stipulated in such agreement, in 
which a State agrees to recognize the issuance of a 
license by another State to a counselor, psychiatrist, 
psychologist, or pediatric mental health professional. 
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 6501 of title 31, 
United States Code. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 Apr 12, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2438.IH
H2438
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2027. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 Apr 12, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2438.IH
H2438
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS