[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1667 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
H.R.1667
One Hundred Seventeenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-two
An Act
To address behavioral health and well-being among health care
professionals.
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 ``Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider
Protection Act''.
SEC. 2. DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES.
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this Act as
the ``Secretary'') shall identify and disseminate evidence-based or
evidence-informed best practices for preventing suicide and improving
mental health and resiliency among health care professionals, and for
training health care professionals in appropriate strategies to promote
their mental health. Such best practices shall include recommendations
related to preventing suicide and improving mental health and
resiliency among health care professionals.
SEC. 3. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS INITIATIVE ENCOURAGING USE OF MENTAL
HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES BY HEALTH CARE
PROFESSIONALS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with relevant
stakeholders, including medical professional associations, shall
establish a national evidence-based or evidence-informed education and
awareness initiative--
(1) to encourage health care professionals to seek support and
care for their mental health or substance use concerns, to help
such professionals identify risk factors associated with suicide
and mental health conditions, and to help such professionals learn
how best to respond to such risks, with the goal of preventing
suicide, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders; and
(2) to address stigma associated with seeking mental health and
substance use disorder services.
(b) Reporting.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives an update on the
activities and outcomes of the initiative under subsection (a),
including a description of quantitative and qualitative metrics used to
evaluate such activities and outcomes.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2022 through 2024.
SEC. 4. PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
WORKFORCE.
Subpart I of part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 294n et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 764. PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE HEALTH
PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE.
``(a) Programs to Promote Mental Health Among Health Care
Professionals.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants or
contracts to health care entities, including entities that provide
health care services, such as hospitals, community health centers,
and rural health clinics, or to medical professional associations,
to establish or enhance evidence-based or evidence-informed
programs dedicated to improving mental health and resiliency for
health care professionals.
``(2) Use of funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant or
contract under this subsection shall use funds received through the
grant or contract to implement a new program or enhance an existing
program to promote mental health among health care professionals,
which may include--
``(A) improving awareness among health care professionals
about risk factors for, and signs of, suicide and mental health
or substance use disorders, in accordance with evidence-based
or evidence-informed practices;
``(B) establishing new, or enhancing existing, evidence-
based or evidence-informed programs for preventing suicide and
improving mental health and resiliency among health care
professionals;
``(C) establishing new, or enhancing existing, peer-support
programs among health care professionals; or
``(D) providing mental health care, follow-up services and
care, or referral for such services and care, as appropriate.
``(3) Priority.--In awarding grants and contracts under this
subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities
in health professional shortage areas or rural areas.
``(b) Training Grants.--The Secretary may establish a program to
award grants to health professions schools, academic health centers,
State or local governments, Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations, or
other appropriate public or private nonprofit entities (or consortia of
entities, including entities promoting multidisciplinary approaches) to
support the training of health care students, residents, or health care
professionals in evidence-based or evidence-informed strategies to
address mental and substance use disorders and improve mental health
and resiliency among health care professionals.
``(c) Grant Terms.--A grant or contract awarded under subsection
(a) or (b) shall be for a period of 3 years.
``(d) Application Submission.--An entity seeking a grant or
contract under subsection (a) or (b) shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such
information as the Secretary may require.
``(e) Reporting.--An entity awarded a grant or contract under
subsection (a) or (b) shall periodically submit to the Secretary a
report evaluating the activities supported by the grant or contract.
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section
and section 5 of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection
Act, there are authorized to be appropriated $35,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2022 through 2024.''.
SEC. 5. REVIEW WITH RESPECT TO HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH
AND RESILIENCY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with relevant stakeholders,
shall--
(1) conduct a review on improving health care professional
mental health and the outcomes of programs authorized under this
Act; and
(2) submit a report to the Congress on the results of such
review.
(b) Considerations.--The review under subsection (a) shall take
into account--
(1) the prevalence and severity of mental health conditions
among health professionals, and factors that contribute to those
mental health conditions;
(2) barriers to seeking and accessing mental health care for
health care professionals, which may include consideration of
stigma and licensing concerns, and actions taken by State licensing
boards, schools for health professionals, health care professional
training associations, hospital associations, or other
organizations, as appropriate, to address such barriers;
(3) the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the
mental health of health care professionals and lessons learned for
future public health emergencies;
(4) factors that promote mental health and resiliency among
health care professionals, including programs or strategies to
strengthen mental health and resiliency among health care
professionals; and
(5) the efficacy of health professional training programs that
promote resiliency and improve mental health.
(c) Recommendations.--The review under subsection (a), as
appropriate, shall identify best practices related to, and make
recommendations to address--
(1) improving mental health and resiliency among health care
professionals;
(2) removing barriers to mental health care for health care
professionals; and
(3) strategies to promote resiliency among health care
professionals in health care settings.
SEC. 6. GAO REPORT.
Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Congress a
report on the extent to which Federal substance use disorder and mental
health grant programs address the prevalence and severity of mental
health conditions and substance use disorders among health
professionals. Such report shall--
(1) include an analysis of available evidence and data related
to such conditions and programs; and
(2) assess whether there are duplicative goals and objectives
among such grant programs.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.