Community and School-Based Health Centers

Floor Speech

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Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the important role that community and school-based health centers play when it comes to Americans' mental well-being. These centers provide a wide range of mental and physical health services, regardless of a patient's ability to pay.

I recently visited several community health centers in my district along with SAMHSA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Tom Coderre. During our visit, we met with staff, providers, and local stakeholders to learn more about how Congress can better support these facilities.

What I gained from those conversations is that we simply do not have enough mental health providers to meet community needs, especially in rural areas.

Addressing the mental health workforce shortage has to be a top priority. For my part, I have introduced legislation that will help create a strong workforce pipeline and relieve the pressures on individual providers. I will continue to push for more funding for community health centers and other organizations that are truly helping to fill the gaps in mental healthcare because mental health is just as important as our physical health, but we can't expand access to care without also increasing support for providers who are on the ground working to put an end to the mental health crisis in America.

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