[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1729 Referred in House (RFH)]
1st Session
S. 1729
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 12, 2001
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To provide assistance with respect to the mental health needs of
individuals affected by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
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 ``Post Terrorism Mental Health
Improvement Act''.
SEC. 2. PLANNING AND TRAINING GRANTS.
Section 520A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-32)
is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the
semicolon the following: ``, including the training of
mental health professionals with respect to evidence-
based practices in the treatment of individuals who are
victims of a disaster'';
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking the period and
inserting a semicolon; and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (4), the
following:
``(5) the development of coordinated response plans for
responding to the mental health needs (including the response
efforts of private organizations) that arise from a disaster,
including the development and expansion of the 2-1-1 or other
universal hotline as appropriate; and
``(6) the establishment of a mental health disaster
response clearinghouse.'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (h); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
``(f) State Comments.--With respect to a State or local public
entity that submits an application for assistance under this section
and that intends to use such assistance as provided for in subsection
(a)(5), such entity shall provide notice of such application to the
chief executive officer of the State, the State mental health
department, and the State office responsible for emergency preparedness
who shall consult with providers and organizations serving public
safety officials and others involved in responding to the crisis, and
provide such officer, department and office with the opportunity to
comment on such application.
``(g) Definition.--For purposes of subsection (a)(2), the term
`mental health professional' includes psychiatrists, psychologists,
clinical psychiatric nurse specialists, mental health counselors,
marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, pastoral
counselors, school psychologists, licensed professional counselors,
school guidance counselors, and any other individual practicing in a
mental health profession that is licensed or regulated by a State
agency.''.
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO DIRECTLY AFFECTED AREAS TO ADDRESS LONG-TERM NEEDS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall award grants
to eligible State and local governments and other public entities to
enable such entities to respond to the long-term mental health needs
arising from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
subsection (a) an entity shall--
(1) be a State or local government or other public entity
that is located in an area that is directly affected (as
determined by the Secretary) by the terrorist attacks of
September 11, 2001; and
(2) prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as
the Secretary may require.
(c) Use of Funds.--A grantee shall use amounts received under a
grant under subsection (a)--
(1) to carry out activities to locate individuals who may
be affected by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and
in need of mental health services;
(2) to provide treatment for those individuals identified
under paragraph (1) who are suffering from a serious
psychiatric illness as a result of such terrorist attack,
including paying the costs of necessary medications; and
(3) to carry out other activities determined appropriate by
the Secretary.
(d) Supplement not Supplant.--Amounts expended for treatments under
subsection (c)(2) shall be used to supplement and not supplant amounts
otherwise made available for such treatments (including medications)
under any other Federal, State, or local program or under any health
insurance coverage.
(e) Use of Private Entities and Existing Providers.--To the extent
appropriate, a grantee under subsection (a) shall--
(1) enter into contracts with private, nonprofit entities
to carry out activities under the grant; and
(2) to the extent feasible, utilize providers that are
already serving the affected population, including providers
used by public safety officials.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary in
each of fiscal years 2002 through 2005.
SEC. 4. RESEARCH.
Part A of title II of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 202
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 229. RESEARCH.
``Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may
waive any restriction on the amount of supplemental funding that may be
provided to any disaster-related scientific research project that is
funded by the Secretary.''.
SEC. 5. CHILDREN WHO EXPERIENCE VIOLENCE-RELATED STRESS.
(a) In General.--Section 582(f) of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 290hh-1(f)) is amended by striking ``2002 and 2003'' and
inserting ``2002 through 2005''.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the
program established under section 582 of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 290hh-1) should be fully funded.
Passed the Senate December 12, 2001.
Attest:
JERI THOMSON,
Secretary.