H.R. 6817 — Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act of 2025

This section establishes a grant program to expand and enhance access to mental health and substance use services, delivered via telemental health care (i.e., electronic and telecommunications technologies for remote clinical care), to covered populations in their homes or other places of comfort. Covered populations are residents of health professional shortage areas in rural areas or individuals engaged in farming, fishing, or forestry industries (as defined by the Department of Labor); grants are awarded to public or nonprofit private telemental health provider networks offering services by professionals trained in mental health and substance use (i.e., psychiatrists, qualified mental health professionals, or others under psychiatrist direction). Grant recipients must (1) deliver home-based telemental health services; (2) develop metrics measuring the quality and impact of such services compared to traditional in-person care; and (3) support infrastructure, including expanding broadband access, providing patient devices, and offsetting provider technology costs. The Secretary must submit reports to Congress, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, on the program's impact and care quality beginning 3 years after commencement and biennially thereafter. Up to $10 million annually for FY2025 through FY2029 may be used for the program.