EARLY Minds Act

This legislation proposes to amend the Public Health Service Act to enhance mental health services by focusing on prevention and early intervention. It requires states, as part of their Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services plans, to describe evidence-based strategies for preventing, delaying, or reducing the severity and onset of mental illness and behavioral problems, particularly for children and adolescents. States opting to include these strategies in their plans may allocate up to 5 percent of their annual block grant funding to support such prevention and early intervention services. The bill further mandates that the Secretary submit biennial reports to Congress, detailing the states utilizing this option, the activities undertaken, the populations served, and the outcomes achieved, including reductions in access delays and illness severity.