[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8942 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8942
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to award grants to schools and school-based
health centers to increase the number of behavioral health care
providers in such schools and health centers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 10, 2020
Mr. Kennedy (for himself and Mr. Ferguson) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to award grants to schools and school-based
health centers to increase the number of behavioral health care
providers in such schools and health centers, 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 ``Advancing Student Services In
Schools Today Act'' or the ``ASSIST Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE
PROVIDERS IN SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.
Subpart I of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 330N. GRANT PROGRAM TO INCREASE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
IN SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.
``(a) In General.--Not later than 3 months after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Secretary of Education, shall award grants to schools and school-based
health centers to increase the number of behavioral health care
providers in such schools and health centers.
``(b) Application.--A school or school-based health center seeking
a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary
at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as
the Secretary may require, including a description of--
``(1) the behavioral health needs of the school or health
center; and
``(2) with respect to the student population served by the
school or health center, how the school or health center will
ensure that the behavioral health care providers increased at
the school or health center, and the services administered by
such providers, are culturally and linguistically diverse.
``(c) Reports.--
``(1) Schools and school-based health centers.--A school or
school-based health center receiving a grant under this section
shall submit an annual report to the Secretary accompanied by
such information as the Secretary may require, including--
``(A) the number of behavioral health care
providers increased at the school or health center
through the grant;
``(B) the types of services provided by the
behavioral health care providers and the efficacy of
such services;
``(C) the practices used by the school or health
center to recruit and retain behavioral health care
providers; and
``(D) the rates of retention of behavioral health
care providers at the school or health center.
``(2) Secretary.--Not later than 18 months after the date
of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the
effectiveness of the grants awarded pursuant to this section.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Behavioral health care provider.--The term
`behavioral health care provider' means an individual who is
licensed to provide mental and behavioral health services,
including--
``(A) a school counselor;
``(B) a school psychologist or any other
psychologist;
``(C) a psychiatrist who specializes in child or
adolescent psychiatry; and
``(D) a school social worker.
``(2) School.--The term `school' means--
``(A) an elementary school or secondary school (as
such terms are defined in section 8101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965);
``(B) an institution of higher education (as
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of
1965); and
``(C) a school operated by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs.
``(3) School-based health center.--The term `school-based
health center' has the meaning given such term in section 399Z-
1(a)(3).''.
SEC. 3. INCREASING THE APPLICABLE FMAP FOR STATE EXPENDITURES
ATTRIBUTABLE TO CERTAIN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.
Section 1905 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (b), by striking ``and (ff)'' and
inserting ``(ff), and (gg)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(gg)(1) Notwithstanding any preceding provision of this section,
with respect to State expenditures for medical assistance consisting of
behavioral health services furnished at a school (as defined in section
330N(d) of the Public Health Service Act) or at a school-based health
center (as defined in section 399Z-1(a)(3) of such Act) on or after the
date that is 3 months after the date of the enactment of this
subsection, the Federal medical assistance percentage otherwise
determined under subsection (b) shall, subject to paragraph (2), be
equal to 90 percent.
``(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply in the case of State
expenditures described in such paragraph if application of such
paragraph would result in a lower Federal medical assistance percentage
for such expenditures than would otherwise apply without application of
such paragraph.''.
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