WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) led a bipartisan group of senators in reintroducing legislation to expand telemental health services in rural areas. The Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act would establish a grant program for health providers to expand telemental health services for those specifically in rural populations working in farming, forestry and fishing industries. Additional cosponsors include Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.).
The Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act is supported by the South Dakota Farm Bureau, South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations, South Dakota Farmers Union, National Farmers Union, National Rural Health Association, Sanford Health, Avera Health and Monument Health.
This legislation would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth of the Health Resources and Services Administration, in coordination with the Rural Health Liaison of the Department of Agriculture, to award grants to entities to establish demonstration projects for the provision of telemental health services for rural populations, specifically those working in the farming, fishing and forestry occupations. It would authorize up to $10 million for each fiscal year through 2026, using current funds.