# What This Bill Does

This bill extends funding for a training program called SOAR to Health and Wellness, which teaches people how to recognize and respond to mental health and substance abuse crises. Right now, the program's federal funding is set to expire after 2024, so this bill simply keeps the money flowing through 2029—giving the program five more years of support.

# Who This Affects and How

The SOAR program trains first responders, healthcare workers, and community members to spot warning signs of mental health emergencies or addiction problems and respond appropriately. By extending the funding, the bill ensures that communities can continue training people to handle these situations better, potentially preventing tragedies and connecting people to help before situations escalate. Without this reauthorization, the program would lose its federal funding and many training initiatives would likely shut down.

This matters to everyday people because better-trained responders mean more effective help during mental health crises. If someone you know is struggling with depression, anxiety, or substance abuse, having more trained people in your community who know how to recognize and respond to these issues could make a real difference in getting them the right support.

To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training Program.

Cohen, Steve

<p>This bill reauthorizes through FY2029 the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond (SOAR) to Health and Wellness Training Program, which is administered by the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center in the Department of Health and Human Services. The program provides training for health care and social service providers on how to identify and support those who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing human trafficking.</p>