[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2691 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2691

 To require the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
 Services Administration to establish a pilot program for the adoption 
       and use of certified electronic health records technology.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 16, 2016

Mr. Whitehouse introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
 Services Administration to establish a pilot program for the adoption 
       and use of certified electronic health records technology.

    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 ``Integrating Behavioral Health 
Through Technology Act of 2016''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE ADOPTION AND USE OF CERTIFIED EHR 
              TECHNOLOGY.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
        Administration.
            (2) Certified ehr technology.--The term ``certified EHR 
        technology'' has the meaning given such term in section 
        1848(o)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-
        4(o)(4)).
            (3) Eligible behavioral health facility.--The term 
        ``eligible behavioral health facility'' means--
                    (A) a public or private hospital that is 
                principally a psychiatric hospital (as defined in 
                section 1861(f) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
                1395x(f));
                    (B) a community mental health center (as described 
                in section 1913(b)(2) of the Public Health Service Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 300x-2(b)(2)));
                    (C) a residential or outpatient mental health 
                treatment facility that is accredited by the Joint 
                Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare 
                Organizations, the Commission on Accreditation of 
                Rehabilitation Facilities, the Council on 
                Accreditation, or any other national accrediting agency 
                recognized by the Secretary of Health and Human 
                Services; and
                    (D) a substance abuse treatment facility that is 
                accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of 
                Healthcare Organizations, the Commission on 
                Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the Council 
                on Accreditation, or any other national accrediting 
                agency recognized by the Secretary of Health and Human 
                Services.
            (4) Eligible professional.--The term ``eligible 
        professional'' means--
                    (A) a clinical psychologist providing qualified 
                psychologist services (as defined in section 1861(ii) 
                of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(ii)); or
                    (B) a clinical social worker (as defined in section 
                1861(hh)(1) of the Social Security Act).
    (b) Establishment.--The Administrator, in consultation with the 
Director of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health 
Information Technology, shall establish a pilot program in up to 5 
States under which incentive payments may be made to eligible 
professionals and eligible behavioral health facilities for the 
adoption and use of certified EHR technology.
    (c) Program Requirements.--
            (1) Selection.--When selecting States for the pilot program 
        established under this section, the Administrator shall give 
        preference to States that have a Statewide health information 
        exchange that includes behavioral health data.
            (2) Adoption and use of certified ehr technology.--To 
        qualify to receive incentive payments under the pilot program 
        established under this section, an eligible professional or 
        eligible behavioral health facility shall demonstrate, through 
        an attestation or other means specified by the Administrator, 
        that the professional or behavioral health facility--
                    (A) has adopted certified EHR technology; and
                    (B) in the case that such professional or facility 
                operates in a State or region with a State or regional 
                health information exchange, participates in such 
                health information exchange.
            (3) Payments.--The Administrator shall make incentive 
        payments to at least one type of eligible professional listed 
        in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (a)(4) and at least 
        one type of eligible behavioral health facility listed in 
        subparagraphs (A) through (D) of subsection (a)(3) in each 
        State selected for the pilot program established under this 
        section. The amount of incentive payments to eligible 
        professionals and eligible behavioral health facilities under 
        the pilot program may be comparable to the payment amounts 
        under section 1848(o) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1395w-4(o)) and section 1886 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww).
    (d) Duration.--The pilot program established under this section 
shall be conducted for a period not to exceed 5 years.
    (e) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the conclusion of the 
pilot program established under this section, the Administrator shall 
submit a report to relevant committees of Congress that includes--
            (1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot program 
        in encouraging adoption of certified EHR technology by eligible 
        professionals and eligible behavioral health facilities and in 
        the exchange of behavioral health information;
            (2) a description of best practices for the adoption and 
        use of certified EHR technology by eligible professionals and 
        eligible behavioral health facilities; and
            (3) recommendations for increasing the percentage of 
        eligible professionals and eligible behavioral health 
        facilities nationally that adopt certified EHR technology and 
        exchange behavioral health information.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the period of fiscal 
years 2017 through 2022 to carry out the pilot program under this 
section, to remain available for the duration of the pilot program.
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