Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The STAR Plus Scholarship Act establishes a federal scholarship program to recruit and train mental health and substance use disorder treatment professionals for underserved areas. The program provides scholarships covering tuition and educational expenses to full-time students pursuing eligible degrees, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, addiction counselors, and psychiatric nurses. In exchange, scholarship recipients must commit to working full-time in designated mental health professional shortage areas, high-overdose counties, or other facilities with mental health workforce shortages for a period equal to the length of their scholarship support. The bill authorizes $75 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 and creates a replacement fund financed by damages collected from recipients who breach their service agreements, allowing the government to hire replacement professionals in affected areas. The scholarships themselves are excluded from recipients' taxable income under federal tax law.
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