[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1283 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1283
To establish a program for the delivery of mental health services by
telehealth.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 31, 2001
Mr. Johnson introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a program for the delivery of mental health services by
telehealth.
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 ``Telehealth Mental Health Services
Act''.
SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DELIVERED VIA TELEHEALTH.
Subpart I of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 330I. MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DELIVERED VIA TELEHEALTH.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a
public or nonprofit private telehealth provider network that
offers services that include mental health services provided by
qualified mental health providers.
``(2) Qualified mental health education professionals.--The
term `qualified mental health education professionals' refers
to teachers, community mental health professionals, nurses, and
other entities as determined by the Secretary who have
additional training in the delivery of information on mental
illness to children and adolescents or who have additional
training in the delivery of information on mental illness to
the elderly.
``(3) Qualified mental health professionals.--The term
`qualified mental health professionals' refers to providers of
mental health services reimbursed under the medicare program
carried out under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) who have additional training in the
treatment of mental illness in children and adolescents or who
have additional training in the treatment of mental illness in
the elderly.
``(4) Special populations.--The term `special populations'
refers to the following 2 distinct groups:
``(A) Children and adolescents located in public
elementary and public secondary schools in mental
health underserved rural areas or in mental health
underserved urban areas.
``(B) Elderly individuals located in long-term care
facilities in mental health underserved rural areas.
``(5) Telehealth.--The term `telehealth' means the use of
electronic information and telecommunications technologies to
support long distance clinical health care, patient and
professional health-related education, public health, and
health administration.
``(b) Program Authorized.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Director of the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth of the
Health Resources and Services Administration, shall award
grants to eligible entities to establish demonstration projects
for the provision of mental health services to special
populations as delivered remotely by qualified mental health
professionals using telehealth and for the provision of
education regarding mental illness as delivered remotely by
qualified mental health professionals and qualified mental
health education professionals using telehealth.
``(2) Number of demonstration projects.--Ten grants shall
be awarded under paragraph (1) to provide services for the
children and adolescents described in subsection (a)(4)(A) and
not fewer than 6 of such grants shall be for services rendered
to individuals in rural areas. Ten grants shall also be awarded
under paragraph (1) to provide services for the elderly
individuals described in subsection (a)(4)(B) in rural areas.
If the maximum number of grants to be awarded under paragraph
(1) is not awarded, the Secretary shall award the grants under
paragraph (1) in a manner that distributes the grants so as to
serve equitably the populations described in subparagraphs (A)
and (B) of subsection (a)(4).
``(c) Amount.--Each entity that receives a grant under subsection
(b) shall receive not less than $1,500,000 under the grant, and shall
use not more than 40 percent of the grant funds for equipment.
``(d) Use of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a grant
under this section shall use the grant funds--
``(A) for the populations described in subsection
(a)(4)(A)--
``(i) to provide mental health services,
including diagnosis and treatment of mental
illness, in public elementary and public
secondary schools as delivered remotely by
qualified mental health professionals using
telehealth;
``(ii) to provide education regarding
mental illness (including suicide and violence)
in public elementary and public secondary
schools as delivered remotely by qualified
mental health professionals and qualified
mental health education professionals using
telehealth, including education regarding early
recognition of the signs and symptoms of mental
illness, and instruction on coping and dealing
with stressful experiences of childhood and
adolescence (such as violence, social
isolation, and depression); and
``(iii) to collaborate with local public
health entities to provide the mental health
services; and
``(B) for the populations described in subsection
(a)(4)(B)--
``(i) to provide mental health services,
including diagnosis and treatment of mental
illness, in long-term care facilities as
delivered remotely by qualified mental health
professionals using telehealth;
``(ii) to provide education regarding
mental illness to primary staff (including
physicians, nurses, and nursing aides) as
delivered remotely by qualified mental health
professionals and qualified mental health
education professionals using telehealth,
including education regarding early recognition
of the signs and symptoms of mental illness,
and instruction on coping and dealing with
stressful experiences of old age (such as loss
of physical and cognitive capabilities, death
of loved ones and friends, social isolation,
and depression); and
``(iii) to collaborate with local public
health entities to provide the mental health
services.
``(2) Other uses.--An eligible entity that receives a grant
under this section may also use the grant funds to--
``(A) acquire telehealth equipment to use in public
elementary and public secondary schools and long-term
care facilities for the objectives of this section;
``(B) develop curricula to support activities
described in subparagraphs (A)(ii) and (B)(ii) of
paragraph (1);
``(C) pay telecommunications costs; and
``(D) pay qualified mental health professionals and
qualified mental health education professionals on a
reasonable cost basis as determined by the Secretary
for services rendered.
``(3) Prohibited uses.--An eligible entity that receives a
grant under this section shall not use the grant funds to--
``(A) purchase or install transmission equipment
(other than such equipment used by qualified mental
health professionals to deliver mental health services
using telehealth under the project involved); or
``(B) build upon or acquire real property (except
for minor renovations related to the installation of
reimbursable equipment).
``(e) Equitable Distribution.--In awarding grants under this
section, the Secretary shall ensure, to the greatest extent possible,
that such grants are equitably distributed among geographical regions
of the United States.
``(f) Application.--An entity that desires a grant under this
section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
determines to be reasonable.
``(g) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment
of the Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2001, the Secretary shall
prepare and submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress
that shall evaluate activities funded with grants under this section.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section, $30,000,000 for fiscal year
2002 and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2003 through
2009.
``(i) Sunset Provision.--This section shall be effective for 7
years from the date of enactment of this section.''.
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