December 18, 2025- Bipartisan legislation would expand access to lifesaving peer support services for people with substance use and mental health conditions
Joint statement by Mental Health America (MHA), the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW), the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), Faces & Voices of Recovery (FAVOR), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH), the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC), the National Council for Mental Wellbeing (NCMW), One World Recovery Network (OWRN), and the Alliance for Rights and Recovery.
As our nation continues to respond to the ongoing overdose and mental health crises, we strongly support the reintroduction of the Promoting Effective and Empowering Recovery Services (PEERS) in Medicare Act in Congress, and urge swift passage of this important bill. This bipartisan legislation would expand access to lifesaving peer support for people with substance use and mental health conditions, by allowing Medicare to cover these services at rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, and community mental health centers.
We applaud Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), and Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) for championing this bill, which will make it easier for people with substance use and mental health conditions to access the support that they need close to home.
Peer support specialists are people with experience of substance use and/or mental health conditions, who are trained to provide support to others who are experiencing similar conditions. Peer support services include a range of effective activities that promote recovery and well-being, and have been shown to:
Increasing access to peer support services is especially promising for communities with limited or no access to substance use and mental health care providers, such as in rural regions and tribal communities in the United States. Peer support offers a low-cost, high-impact way to fill these critical gaps in the behavioral health care system, meeting people where they are and supporting effective, person-centered care in communities across the country.
This revised bill expands on a provision led by Sens. Cortez Masto and Cassidy and Reps. Chu and Smith that was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which allows Medicare to include peer support specialists as part of interdisciplinary integrated care teams, (such as in primary care settings).
Additional Information:
Senate bill sponsors’ press statement
“Peer support is a proven, cost-effective approach that saves lives and strengthens communities. By expanding Medicare coverage for these services, Congress is recognizing the value of lived experience in recovery and ensuring that more people—especially in rural and underserved areas—can access the help they need close to home.” —
Patty McCarthy, CEO, Faces & Voices of Recovery