This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Mental and Behavioral Health Career Promotion Grant Program. The program aims to award grants to eligible entities to create or expand initiatives that promote careers in mental and behavioral health among students in grades 9 through 12 and those attending public junior or community colleges.

To qualify for a grant, an entity must be a partnership that includes:

One or more local or State educational agencies, or a consortium thereof;
One or more public junior or community colleges, or a consortium thereof; and
At least one community-based mental or behavioral health provider or other approved community-based entity.

Eligible programs will promote mental and behavioral health careers through activities such as:

Providing educational presentations to increase exposure and knowledge of these careers;
Coordinating internships and externships for interested students;
Offering opportunities for students to interact with and shadow professionals;
Providing mentorships and experiential learning; and
Partnering with higher education institutions and community behavioral health organizations.

All grant-funded activities must be developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate. Grants will be awarded for a period of five years and may be renewed, with the Secretary ensuring geographical diversity among recipients and potentially offering technical assistance to high-need educational agencies and colleges. The bill authorizes $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to fund this program, which also mandates a process for evaluating effectiveness and submitting annual reports to Congress.