The HELP Act of 2026 establishes a federal funding program to expand and improve 211 services, which help connect people to social assistance resources like food, housing, and healthcare. The bill designates a nonprofit organization with experience in community health services and disaster response to oversee the program, distribute grants to local 211 providers in each state, and ensure services are accessible to people with disabilities. The administering agency will also coordinate 211 services with emergency response systems and run public awareness campaigns about available resources. Congress authorizes $250 million annually from 2026 through 2032 to support the program, with the administering agency permitted to use up to 10 percent of those funds for its own administrative costs and to establish 211 networks in states that lack them. The agency must submit yearly reports to the Department of Health and Human Services on program effectiveness and outcomes.
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