National Council for Mental Wellbeing Releases Statement on FY26 LHHS Funding Bill

Washington, D.C. (Feb. 3, 2026) — After the brief partial shutdown, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing applauds Congress for approving the fiscal year 2026 funding for critical mental health and substance use programs through the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bill.

National Council President and CEO Chuck Ingoglia released the following statement on the bill’s passage:

“The National Council, our Board of Directors, association executives and members in every congressional district throughout this great nation offer our thanks to our hardworking members of Congress for passing this vital funding bill.

“In broad terms, this was a true bipartisan effort. We also want to acknowledge and thank the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies subcommittees for their leadership in authoring the funding bill and shepherding it through the House and Senate.

“The bill continues bipartisan support for the behavioral health field. For example, the bill advances funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), which are important to millions of people. CCBHCs also are a cornerstone of the administration’s health care priorities, as evidenced by the president’s budget proposal in the spring of 2025.

“But it’s not just CCBHCs. Many other mental health and substance use programs will be funded at an even level or a slightly increased level, and for that we are extremely grateful.

“With passage behind us, we urge the president to sign the funding bill swiftly. We thank him and members of Congress for acknowledging the important role that mental health and substance use providers play. No one is immune from a mental health or substance use challenge, so we will continue working with the administration and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to ensure substance use and mental health care programs continue to receive the funding they deserve. We will continue our efforts to connect more Americans to care and strengthen the capacity to provide treatment by addressing the behavioral health workforce shortage. And we will do everything we can to make mental wellbeing, including recovery from substance use challenges, a reality for everyone.”