[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3476 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3476
To provide for mental health and substance use disorder services in
response to public health emergencies, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 11 (legislative day, January 10), 2022
Mr. Lujan (for himself, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Casey) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for mental health and substance use disorder services in
response to public health emergencies, 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 ``Securing Uninterrupted Pandemic
Preparation Of Resources and Therapies Act'' or the ``SUPPORT Act''.
SEC. 2. SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES.
(a) Authorities.--Section 501(d) of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 290aa(d)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (24) and (25) as paragraphs
(25) and (26), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (23) the following:
``(24) support the continued access to, or availability of,
mental health and substance use disorder services during, or in
response to, a public health emergency declared under section
319, including in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for
Preparedness and Response, as appropriate, in preparing for,
and responding to, a public health emergency;''.
(b) Strategic Plan.--Section 501(l)(4) of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa(l)(4)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(G) specify a strategy to support the continued
access to, or availability of, mental health and
substance use disorder services, including to at-risk
individuals (as defined in section 2802(b)(4)), during,
or in response to, public health emergencies declared
pursuant to section 319.''.
(c) Biennial Report Concerning Activities and Progress.--Section
501(m) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa(m)) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (7) as
paragraphs (5) through (8), respectively;
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
``(4) a description of the Administration's activities to
support the continued provision of mental health and substance
use disorder services, as applicable, in response to public
health emergencies declared pursuant to section 319;''; and
(3) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) and (E) as
subparagraphs (E) and (F), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the
following:
``(D) relevant preparedness and response
activities;''.
(d) Advisory Councils.--Not later than one year after the enactment
of this Act, the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance
Use shall issue a report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of
the House of Representatives, reflecting the feedback of the advisory
councils for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Center for
Substance Abuse Prevention, and the Center for Mental Health Services,
pursuant to section 502 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
290aa-1), and including recommendations to improve the continued
provision of mental health and substance use disorder services during a
public health emergency declared under section 319 of such Act (42
U.S.C. 247d), and the provision of such services as part of the public
health and medical response to such an emergency, consistent with title
XXVIII of such Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh et seq.).
(e) GAO Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives a report on programs and activities of the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to support the
continued provision of mental health and substance use disorder
services and related activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, including
the provision of such services as part of the medical and public health
response to such pandemic. Such report shall--
(1) examine the role played by the advisory councils
described in section 502 of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 290aa-1) and the National Mental Health and Substance
Use Policy Laboratory established under section 501A of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa-0) in providing technical assistance and
recommendations regarding the activities to support the
response of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration to the public health emergency declared under
section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d)
with respect to COVID-19;
(2) describe the manner in which existing awardees of
mental health and substance use disorder programs altered
delivery of services during such public health emergency; and
(3) describe activities of the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration to support the response to such
public health emergency, including through technical
assistance, provision of services, and any flexibilities
provided to such existing awardees.
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