Congressman Dan Goldman Fights to Remove Language Barriers in Mental Health Care

Bipartisan 'Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act' Aims to Increase Language Access in Community Health Centers 

Legislation Would Establish New Grant Program to Provide Funding for Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention of Non-English Speaking Health Care Professionals

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) joined Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06) in introducing the 'Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act' to establish a grant program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services to provide federal funds to community health centers to help them hire qualified mental health professionals who are fluent in a language other than English.  

“Every American deserves access to affordable, high-quality mental and physical health care, and language access should never be a barrier to care,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “The shortage of mental health professionals who are fluent in another language is particularly unacceptable in New York City, where many members of our community are not proficient in English. I am proud to join a bipartisan group of colleagues to address this shortage by working to pass the Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act and taking important steps to bring equity to our mental health care system.”

The Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act would help people who are not proficient in English receive access to mental health professionals by allowing the Department of Health and Human Services to issue grants to eligible community health centers to hire professionals who are fluent in other languages. Under the legislation, all community health centers would be eligible to apply for the grant. However, preference would be given to health centers where at least 10 percent of the patients are best served in a language other than English. The bill would also direct a portion of the grants to inform communities about the behavioral health services available at community health centers.

This critical piece of legislation is Endorsed by: the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, National Latina/o Psychological Association and Doc Wayne.

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