The Demonstrating that Empowerment Makes Opportunities Act (DEMO Act) creates a new federal grant program to help people with arrest or conviction records gain education and training for careers in high-demand health professions. The Department of Health and Human Services will award grants to eligible organizations—including workforce boards, states, tribes, colleges, hospitals, and nonprofits—to run demonstration projects lasting at least three years, with preference given to applicants with emergency financial assistance funds for participants. Eligible participants must have incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level, and projects must provide legal assistance to help participants address barriers related to their records, plus career pathway support including job placement and ongoing training. The bill appropriates $10 million for fiscal year 2026 and requires rigorous evaluation of project outcomes in areas like credential attainment, job placement, and retention to identify best practices for building a diverse healthcare workforce.
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