[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7780 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7780
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through
the Director of the Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to award grants to
facilitate the funding of community-based mental health and substance
use disorder services and peer support programs, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 24, 2020
Mr. Kennedy (for himself and Mr. Cardenas) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
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A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through
the Director of the Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to award grants to
facilitate the funding of community-based mental health and substance
use disorder services and peer support programs, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Virtual Community Support Act of
2020''.
SEC. 2. GRANT FOR COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER SERVICES AND PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 15 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
acting through the Director of the Center for Mental Health Services of
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, shall
establish a program (in this Act referred to as the ``Program'') to
facilitate the funding of community-based mental health and substance
use disorder services and peer support programs.
(b) Grant Authority.--In carrying out the Program, the Secretary
shall award a grant in accordance with this section.
(c) Eligible Recipients.--The Secretary may award a grant under the
Program to an eligible recipient determined by the Secretary to be
authorized and capable of carrying out a project described in
subsection (d).
(d) Eligible Projects.--Grant funds awarded under the Program may
be used to--
(1) identify and coordinate care between programs that
provide access to community-based mental health and substance
use disorder services for juveniles and assist in the
coordination of such services;
(2) identify and coordinate care between programs that
provide access to community-based mental health and substance
use disorder services for adults and assist in the coordination
of such services;
(3) obtain technology required to provide a community-based
mental health and substance use disorder services virtually;
(4) compensate a healthcare provider or a peer specialist
for the provision of community-based mental health and
substance use disorder services;
(5) provide education assistance to an individual seeking
certification as a peer specialist;
(6) provide for workforce development, recruitment, and
retention activities, to train, recruit, and retain peer
specialists;
(7) transition a network of in-person, peer specialist
facilitated behavioral health support services to a virtual
platform for such behavioral health support services; or
(8) expand or improve virtual, peer specialist facilitated
behavioral health support services carried out by the entity
prior to the date of enactment of this section.
(e) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under the Program, an
eligible recipient shall submit to the Secretary an application in such
form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
(f) Guidance.--Not later than 15 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue guidance on the
requirements an eligible recipient shall take to provide community-
based mental health and substance use disorder services.
(g) Supplement Not Supplant.--Federal funds paid to an eligible
recipient pursuant to the Program must be used to supplement, but not
supplant, any other Federal, State, or local funds available to such
eligible recipient.
(h) Report.--
(1) Interim report.--Not later than 90 days after the date
on which funds are distributed under the Program, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a report on the Program that
includes--
(A) the number of grants awarded under the Program;
(B) the location of each grant awarded under the
Program; and
(C) the amount requested and amount awarded for
each grant under the Program.
(2) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the end of the
COVID-19 emergency period, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report on the Program that includes--
(A) the number of grants awarded under the Program;
(B) the location of each grant awarded under the
Program; and
(C) the amount requested and amount awarded for
each grant under the Program.
(3) Publication requirement.--On the date on which a report
is submitted under paragraphs (1) or (2), the Secretary shall
publish such report submitted on the website of the Department
of Health and Human Services.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out the Program--
(1) during the COVID-19 emergency period, such sums as may
be necessary for each of the fiscal years such emergency period
is ongoing; and
(2) after the COVID-19 emergency period, $5,000,000 for
each of the five fiscal years beginning after the termination
of the COVID-19 emergency period.
(j) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covid-19 emergency period.--The term ``COVID-19
emergency period'' means the public health emergency declared
by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on January 27,
2020, with respect to the 2019 novel coronavirus.
(2) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient''
means--
(A) a department of health or a department of
public health, in coordination with a State;
(B) a behavioral health program that primarily
serves individuals with mental health or substance
abuse disorders;
(C) community-based nonprofit, that is a consumer-
controlled and is certified in accordance with
applicable State law to deliver peer specialist support
services at a State or local level; or
(D) an institution of higher education providing
service learning and civic-engagement courses for peer
specialist training.
(3) Healthcare provider.--The term ``healthcare provider''
mean a certified provider who provides behavioral health
services.
(4) Peer specialist.--The term ``peer specialist''
includes--
(A) a certified peer specialist;
(B) a peer recovery support specialist; and
(C) a recovery coach for behavioral health.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means a State of the United
States, the District of Columbia, or any commonwealth,
territory, or possession of the United States, or an Indian
tribe.
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