42 USC § 294u - Education and awareness initiative encouraging use of mental health and substance use disorder services by health care professionals

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s294u"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "42 USC § 294u - Education and awareness initiative encouraging use of mental health and substance use disorder services by health care professionals"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
section_number: "294u"
section_name: "Education and awareness initiative encouraging use of mental health and substance use disorder services by health care professionals"
chapter_number: 6
chapter_name: "PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE"
subchapter_number: "V"
subchapter_name: "HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION"
part_number: "E"
part_name: "Health Professions and Public Health Workforce"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 117–105, § 3, Mar. 18, 2022, 136 Stat. 1118; Pub. L. 119–75, div. J, title V, § 6508(b), Feb. 3, 2026, 140 Stat. 695.)"
---


# § 294u. Education and awareness initiative encouraging use of mental health and substance use disorder services by health care professionals

**(a)** **In general** The Secretary, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, including medical professional associations, shall establish a national evidence-based or evidence-informed education and awareness initiative—

**(1)** to encourage health care professionals to seek support and care for their mental health or substance use concerns, to help such professionals identify risk factors associated with suicide and mental health conditions, and to help such professionals learn how best to respond to such risks, with the goal of preventing suicide, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders; and

**(2)** to address stigma associated with seeking mental health and substance use disorder services.

**(b)** **Reporting** March 18, 2022

Not later than 2 years after , and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives an update on the activities and outcomes of the initiative under subsection (a), including a description of quantitative and qualitative metrics used to evaluate such activities and outcomes.

**(c)** **Authorization of appropriations** To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 117–105, § 3, Mar. 18, 2022, 136 Stat. 1118; Pub. L. 119–75, div. J, title V, § 6508(b), Feb. 3, 2026, 140 Stat. 695.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and not as part of the Public Health Service Act which comprises this chapter.

Section was formerly set out as a note under .

### Amendments

2026—Subsec. (b). , inserted “and annually thereafter,” for “”.

Subsec. (c). , substituted “2026 through 2030” for “2022 through 2024”.