[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3688 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3688
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,
contracts, or cooperative agreements to facilitate the funding of
community-based mental health and substance use disorder services and
peer support programs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 17, 2022
Mr. Warnock (for himself, Ms. Stabenow, and Mr. Padilla) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
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,
contracts, or cooperative agreements 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 ``Improving Access to Tele-Behavioral
Health Services Act''.
SEC. 2. AWARDS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER SERVICES AND PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary''), 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, including services provided
virtually.
(b) Award Authority.--In carrying out the Program, the Secretary
shall award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements in accordance
with this section.
(c) Eligible Recipients.--The Secretary may make an award 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) Use of Funds.--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 community-based
mental health and substance use disorder services virtually,
through audio or video telehealth services;
(4) compensate a health care provider or a peer specialist
for the provision of community-based mental health and
substance use disorder services, including services provided
virtually;
(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) support the provision of peer specialist-facilitated
mental health and substance use disorder support services on a
virtual platform by an entity that, prior to the award, was
providing such services in-person; or
(8) expand or improve virtual, peer specialist-facilitated
mental health and substance use disorder support services
carried out by the entity prior to the date of enactment of
this Act.
(e) Applications.--To be eligible for an award 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 90 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 awarded to an eligible
recipient pursuant to the Program shall be used to supplement, but not
supplant, any other Federal, State, or local funds available to such
eligible recipient.
(h) Report.--
(1) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which
funds are distributed under the Program, and annually
thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on
the Program that includes--
(A) the number of awards made under the Program;
(B) the physical location of each awardee selected
under the Program;
(C) the amount requested and amount awarded for
each award under the Program; and
(D) whether funds were used during the COVID-19
public health emergency.
(2) Publication requirement.--On the date on which a report
is submitted under paragraph (1) or (2), the Secretary shall
publish such report 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 $5,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2023 through 2027.
(j) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) COVID-19 public health emergency.--The term ``COVID-19
public health emergency'' means the public health emergency
declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under
section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d)
on January 27, 2020, with respect to COVID-19.
(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 nonprofit health program that primarily
serves individuals with mental health or substance
abuse disorders;
(C) community-based nonprofit entity, 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;
(D) an institution of higher education (as defined
in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001)), providing service learning and civic-
engagement courses for peer specialist training;
(E) a State or local law enforcement agency or
other State first responder agency; or
(F) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization.
(3) Health care provider.--The term ``health care
provider'' means a certified provider who provides mental
health and substance use disorder services.
(4) Indian tribe; tribal organization.--The terms ``Indian
Tribe'' and ``Tribal organization'' have the meanings given the
terms ``Indian tribe'' and ``tribal organization'' in section 4
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(25 U.S.C. 5304).
(5) Peer specialist.--The term ``peer specialist''
includes--
(A) a certified peer specialist;
(B) a peer recovery specialist; and
(C) a recovery coach.
(6) 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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