[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7537 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7537
To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act to direct the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant
Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to establish a program
under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible entities to
provide community-based mental health services in communities in which
an active shooter event or incident of targeted violence occurred, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 18, 2022
Mrs. McBath (for herself, Mr. Neguse, Ms. Escobar, Mr. Carson, Mr.
Cicilline, Mr. Deutch, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Horsford, and Ms. Williams of
Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act to direct the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant
Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to establish a program
under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible entities to
provide community-based mental health services in communities in which
an active shooter event or incident of targeted violence occurred, 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 ``Help for Healing Communities Act''.
SEC. 2. COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR GUN VIOLENCE
SURVIVORS.
Subpart 3 of part B of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 290bb-31 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 520A (42
U.S.C. 290bb-32) the following:
``SEC. 520A-1. COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR GUN VIOLENCE
SURVIVORS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Assistant
Secretary (referred to in this section as the `Secretary'), shall
establish a program under which the Secretary may award grants to
eligible entities, to provide a means for communities in which an
active shooter event or incident of targeted violence occurs--
``(1) to prioritize mental and behavioral health of
survivors of active shooter events and incidents of targeted
violence through establishing evidence-based, violence
prevention, and community engagement programs to support
survivors of such an event or incident; and
``(2) to ensure equitable access to high-quality trauma-
informed behavioral health services through the use of
evidence-based materials, practices, programs and resources.
``(b) Eligible Entities.--An entity is eligible to receive a grant
under this section if such entity is--
``(1)(A) a State, political subdivision of a State, an
Indian Tribe, or Tribal organization (as such terms are defined
in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act);
``(B) a health facility, or a program operated by, or in
accordance with, a contract or grant with the Indian Health
Service; or
``(C) another public or private nonprofit entity; and
``(2) located in or serves a community in which an active
shooter event or incident of targeted violence has occurred in
the preceding fiscal year.
``(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under
this section may use funds received under such grant to--
``(1) provide racially, culturally, linguistically, and
gender-appropriate, evidence-based, and trauma-informed and
trauma-competent psychological supports to individuals who have
survived an active shooter event or incident of targeted
violence;
``(2) implement evidence-based violence prevention and
community engagement programs; and
``(3) implement programs to connect such survivors to the
supports described in paragraph (1).
``(d) Pre-Implementation Report on Selection Process.--Not later
than 90 days before the date on which the Secretary establishes the
program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a
report detailing the selection process the Secretary shall use in
making grants under such program.
``(e) Application.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this
section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require, including--
``(1) an assessment of the need for mental and behavioral
health services for survivors of an active shooter event or
incident of targeted violence in the community involved;
``(2) a plan to implement the activities described in
subsection (c) during the period of the grant; and
``(3) a cost assessment with respect to implementing such
plan.
``(f) Consultation and Assistance.--In establishing the program
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
``(1) consult with nationally recognized organizations that
identify, support, and advocate for evidence-based, trauma-
informed behavioral health services;
``(2) consult with nationally recognized organizations--
``(A) with expertise in trauma-informed behavioral
health services, mental and behavioral health, or
violence interruption; and
``(B) that identify, support, and advocate for
evidence-based prevention of, and intervention for,
trauma; and
``(3) provide technical assistance to grant recipients with
respect to the implementation and execution of activities
supported by a grant under this section.
``(g) Evaluation and Report.--
``(1) Evaluation.--Not later than 1 year after the date on
which the first grant is awarded and each year thereafter, the
Secretary shall coordinate with the entities described in
subsection (f)(2) to provide an evaluation of the success of
the grant program.
``(2) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the completion
of each evaluation under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
submit to Congress, and make publicly available on the website
of the Department of Health and Human Services, a report on
such evaluation, including a recommendation on whether to
continue or expand the program.
``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `active shooter event' means an event in
which an individual is actively engaged in the unauthorized
killing or attempting to kill a person or persons in a confined
and populated area using a firearm.
``(2) The term `incident of targeted violence' means an
incident of violence in which an assailant identified a
particular target prior to such incident of violence, which may
be one or more individuals, a class or category of individuals,
or an institution, without regard to whether the chosen target
was harmed during such incident.
``(3) The term `State' has the meaning given such term in
section 534.
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000, for the each of
fiscal years 2023 through 2025.''.
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