FY2026 Package Provisions Relevant to Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (H.R. 7148), was signed into law on February 3, 2026 and includes changes relevant to psychiatric–mental health nurses. Here’s a quick look at the provisions you want to be aware of:
Medicare telemental health flexibilities extended
The Act extends key Medicare telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2027, preserving coverage rules that were otherwise scheduled to narrow. Details are reflected in the statutory language and summarized in this Senate Finance Committee section-by-section summary.
Importantly, the law delays the Medicare in-person visit requirement for mental health telehealth services until January 1, 2028. The delay also applies to mental health visits provided by Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), as outlined here.
Audio-only telehealth authority also continues through December 31, 2027. CMS issued operational guidance in this February 2026 telehealth FAQ, and broader federal policy updates are available from HHS.
For PMH-APRNs, these provisions preserve Medicare reimbursement pathways for remote psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and psychotherapy-related services. For PMHRNs, continued telehealth coverage supports care coordination, follow-up, triage, and integrated behavioral health workflows that depend on telehealth-enabled models.
Medicaid & CHIP enrollment streamlined for eligible out-of-state providers
Section 6101 of the Act requires states to implement a streamlined Medicaid and CHIP enrollment process for eligible out-of-state providers. The law limits screening requirements to the minimum necessary information, such as name and National Provider Identifier (NPI), as detailed in the statutory text.
Providers enrolled under this streamlined process remain enrolled for five years unless terminated or excluded. This change may reduce administrative barriers in cross-state Medicaid telehealth arrangements and improve continuity of psychiatric and behavioral health services.
SAMHSA mental health funding supports service expansion
The FY2026 package appropriates approximately $2.79 billion for SAMHSA mental health programs. Within that amount, the law provides approximately $991.5 million for the Mental Health Block Grant and $385.5 million for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) grants, available through September 30, 2028. The legislation also includes funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Historically, Mental Health Block Grant and CCBHC funding have supported expansion of outpatient psychiatric-mental health services, crisis response programs, and integrated care teams, all of which are settings where psychiatric-mental health nurses play central clinical and leadership roles.
Workforce & training provisions
The Act permits funding for the Nurse Practitioner Optional Fellowship Program to establish, expand, or maintain community-based nurse practitioner fellowship programs, including those focused on psychiatric-mental health. Preference is given to Federally Qualified Health Centers, as described in the enrolled bill.
In addition, the law extends funding for Community Health Centers, the National Health Service Corps, and Teaching Health Centers that operate graduate healthcare education programs. These safety-net settings are major employers and training sites for psychiatric-mental health clinicians, including PMHRNs and PMH-APRNs.
Together, these workforce provisions support mental health workforce development, safety-net stability, and expanded training opportunities in high-need communities.
Published February 2026
This summary was created using human-guided AI tools. Readers are encouraged to review the full statutory text and related CMS guidance for detailed compliance and operational considerations.
