This bill addresses a serious mental health crisis among Hispanic and Latino youth by creating a national campaign to raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental illness in these communities. The data is stark: about 60% of Hispanic and Latino youth report poor mental health, 42% experience persistent sadness or hopelessness, and 18% of high school students have seriously considered suicide. Yet these young people are less likely than other groups to actually receive mental health treatment, partly due to language barriers, lack of health insurance, and cultural misunderstandings about mental health.

The bill directs the federal government to launch a culturally tailored awareness and outreach campaign targeting Hispanic and Latino parents, caregivers, youth, teachers, and school staff. This campaign will include workshops, mental health training for adults who work with youth, screenings at schools and community centers, and distribution of materials in Spanish and English. The government will also partner with local organizations and schools to make mental health services more accessible. The bill funds this campaign with $5 million per year from 2026 through 2030.

Beyond the awareness campaign, the bill requires three separate studies to understand the problem better. One study will examine what mental health challenges Hispanic and Latino youth face and how aware they are of crisis hotlines and mobile crisis teams. Another will investigate why there aren't enough Hispanic and Latino mental health professionals and how to recruit more into the field. A third will look at which past awareness campaigns actually worked with Latino communities. These studies will help the government make better decisions about how to improve mental health services for this population going forward.