[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4306 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4306
To support behavioral health integration into primary care practices,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 25, 2022
Ms. Smith (for herself and Mr. Moran) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support behavioral health integration into primary care practices,
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 Behavioral
Health Integration Act''.
SEC. 2. PROGRAM TO SUPPORT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTEGRATION.
Section 760 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294k) is
amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``training
demonstration program'' and inserting ``program to support
behavioral health integration'';
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(B) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) supporting primary care practices in implementing
evidence-based behavioral health integration programs that
involve professionals whose primary job function is the direct
screening, diagnosis, treatment, or recovery support of
patients with or in recovery from a behavioral health disorder,
such as physicians, psychiatric nurses, social workers,
marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors,
occupational therapists, psychologists, and peer support
specialists.'';
(3) by adding at the end of subsection (b) the following:
``(4) Behavioral health integration programs.--A recipient
of a grant under subsection (a)(4) shall use the grant funds
to--
``(A) hire physicians, psychiatric nurses, social
workers, marriage and family therapists, mental health
counselors, occupational therapists, psychologists, or
peer support specialists to provide behavioral health
services;
``(B) identify and enter into contractual
relationships with health care providers or vendors
offering care management and behavioral health
consultation to facilitate the adoption of behavioral
health integration models; or
``(C) for such other purposes as the Secretary
determines appropriate.'';
(4) by adding at the end of subsection (c) the following:
``(4) Behavioral health integration programs.--To be
eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a)(4), an entity
shall be a primary care practice, including adult primary care
practices and pediatric primary care practices.'';
(5) by adding at the end of subsection (d) the following:
``(3) Behavioral health integration programs.--In awarding
grants under subsection (a)(4), the Secretary shall give
priority to eligible entities that--
``(A) demonstrate a pathway to financially sustain
the behavioral health integration program beyond the
initial grant period, such as participation in value-
based behavioral health integration models;
``(B) have the capacity to expand access to mental
health and substance use disorder services in areas
with demonstrated need, as determined by the Secretary,
such as Tribal, rural, or other medically underserved
communities; or
``(C) are practices that are eligible for technical
assistance under section 1848(q)(11) of the Social
Security Act on the basis of the number of
professionals.'';
(6) in subsection (f)--
(A) by striking ``demonstration program'' each
place such term appears and inserting ``program'';
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``;
and'' and inserting a semicolon;
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as
subparagraph (D); and
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph (B)
the following:
``(C) an analysis of the uptake of behavioral
health integration models in primary care practices;
and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Metrics for measuring the uptake of behavioral health
integration models.--For purposes of the reporting requirement
under paragraph (2)(C), the Secretary shall develop evidence-
based metrics and reporting requirements to measure the uptake
of behavioral health integration models by primary care
practices, including by measuring the increase in provider
capacity, patient access to behavioral health care, and patient
outcomes. The Secretary shall consult with primary care and
behavioral health professionals, and patient advocates when
developing measures and performance metrics.
``(4) Publication of data.--The Secretary shall make public
aggregate evaluation results collected through the study under
paragraph (1) to facilitate identifying best practices and
promising models for scale with respect to behavioral health
integration programs.''; and
(7) by amending subsection (g) to read as follows:
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated, for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027--
``(1) to carry out the grant programs under paragraphs (1),
(2), and (3) of subsection (a), $10,000,000; and
``(2) to carry out the grant program under subsection
(a)(4), $30,000,000.''.
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