# 119-hr-7535: Second Chance Mental Health Access Act of 2026

119-hr-7535, Second Chance Mental Health Access Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4] (D-NC); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7535
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-7535
- Congress: 119
- Title: Second Chance Mental Health Access Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-02-12
- Sponsor: Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4] (D-NC)
- Cosponsors: 11
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Medicaid telehealth mental health coverage for people on court-ordered home confinement.** This bill would require states to cover up to 12 telehealth mental health visits per calendar year for Medicaid enrollees who were incarcerated immediately before being placed on home confinement by a court. - People under home confinement: Would be eligible for up to 12 telehealth mental health visits each calendar year while confined. Coverage applies only during the period of home confinement and only to individuals enrolled under a State Medicaid plan or an approved waiver who were incarcerated immediately before confinement. - States: Adds a new coverage obligation to the Medicaid statute (section 1902(a)) that state plans or waivers must meet. The bill text does not create a separate funding program or explicitly authorize new federal spending for this requirement. - Providers and care delivery: Limits the benefit to telehealth visits rather than in-person care, concentrating mental health services delivered remotely during the confinement period.

## Cosponsors (11)

- Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2] (D-IL), 2026-02-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2026-02-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1] (D-MO), 2026-02-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2026-02-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2] (D-NC), 2026-02-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2] (D-LA), 2026-02-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (D-MA), 2026-02-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] (D-NJ), 2026-02-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1] (D-IL), 2026-02-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2] (D-HI), 2026-02-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10] (D-NY), 2026-02-23T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Medicaid telehealth mental care during confinement: benefit, low. If enacted, your State Medicaid plan or waiver would have to cover up to 12 mental health visits by telehealth each calendar year while you are under court-ordered home confinement. This would only apply if you are enrolled in Medicaid, were incarcerated in a public institution immediately before t…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7853: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-7535 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7535)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7853: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7853)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7535 (as of 2026-04-21).