Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each c…
The bill defines "peer support specialist," requires OMB to add an occupational classification for peer support specialists, establishes an Office of Recovery within SAMHSA led by someone with lived recovery experience, and directs HHS (with DOJ coordination) to produce a report on State criminal background check processes and recommendations to reduce barriers to peer certification. The Office of Recovery will support training, technical assistance, data, career pathways, and dissemination of best practices for peer support services consistent with national guidelines.
Left emphasizes professionalizing peers and reducing record-based barriers
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly defines an administrative intervention (creation of an Office of Recovery within SAMHSA, occupational recognition, and a mandated report) and embeds those elements in statute, but it provides limited operational detail on funding, appointment and staffing procedures, and measurable oversight mechanisms.
The bill defines "peer support specialist," requires OMB to add an occupational classification for peer support specialists, establishes an Office of Recovery within SAMHSA led by someone with lived recovery experience, and directs HHS (with DOJ coordination) to produce a report on State criminal background check processes and recommendations to reduce barriers to peer certification.
The Office of Recovery will support training, technical assistance, data, career pathways, and dissemination of best practices for peer support services consistent with national guidelines.
The background-check report must be posted publicly and distributed to relevant State and federal agencies within one year of enactment.
Technocratic, low-controversy workforce bill with modest fiscal implications increases passage prospects, but absence of funding and need for floor time reduce certainty.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly defines an administrative intervention (creation of an Office of Recovery within SAMHSA, occupational recognition, and a mandated report) and embeds those elements in statute, but it provides limited operational detail on funding, appointment and staffing procedures, and measurable oversight mechanisms.
Left emphasizes professionalizing peers and reducing record-based barriers
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Left emphasizes professionalizing peers and reducing record-based barriers
Likely broadly supportive.
The bill professionalizes peer support, centers lived experience, and seeks to remove criminal record barriers—aligning with criminal justice reform and workforce expansion goals.
Support may depend on whether implementation includes funding, decent pay, and meaningful consumer leadership.
Generally favorable but cautious.
Values improved behavioral-health capacity and evidence-based recommendations, while seeking clarity on costs, federal-state roles, and implementation details.
Support depends on safeguards, measurable outcomes, and no large unfunded mandates.
Skeptical.
Concerns will focus on new federal bureaucracy, potential loosening of criminal background checks, and unfunded mandates.
Some may accept workforce expansion goals but prefer state control and strict safety standards.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Technocratic, low-controversy workforce bill with modest fiscal implications increases passage prospects, but absence of funding and need for floor time reduce certainty.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Left emphasizes professionalizing peers and reducing record-based barriers
Technocratic, low-controversy workforce bill with modest fiscal implications increases passage prospects, but absence of funding and need f…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly defines an administrative intervention (creation of an Office of Recovery within SAMHSA, occupational recognition, and a mandated report) and embeds those ele…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.