[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1667 Engrossed in House (EH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1667

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
     To address behavioral health and well-being among health care 
                             professionals.

    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 ``Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider 
Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this Act as 
the ``Secretary'') shall identify and disseminate evidence-based or 
evidence-informed best practices for preventing suicide and improving 
mental health and resiliency among health care professionals, and for 
training health care professionals in appropriate strategies to promote 
their mental health. Such best practices shall include recommendations 
related to preventing suicide and improving mental health and 
resiliency among health care professionals.

SEC. 3. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS INITIATIVE ENCOURAGING USE OF MENTAL 
              HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES BY HEALTH CARE 
              PROFESSIONALS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with relevant 
stakeholders, including medical professional associations, shall 
establish a national evidence-based or evidence-informed education and 
awareness initiative--
            (1) to encourage health care professionals to seek support 
        and care for their mental health or substance use concerns, to 
        help such professionals identify risk factors associated with 
        suicide and mental health conditions, and to help such 
        professionals learn how best to respond to such risks, with the 
        goal of preventing suicide, mental health conditions, and 
        substance use disorders; and
            (2) to address stigma associated with seeking mental health 
        and substance use disorder services.
    (b) Reporting.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives an update on the 
activities and outcomes of the initiative under subsection (a), 
including a description of quantitative and qualitative metrics used to 
evaluate such activities and outcomes.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2024.

SEC. 4. PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL 
              WORKFORCE.

    Subpart I of part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C.. 294n et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``SEC. 764. PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE HEALTH 
              PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE.

    ``(a) Programs to Promote Mental Health Among Health Care 
Professionals.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants or 
        contracts to health care entities, including entities that 
        provide health care services, such as hospitals, community 
        health centers, and rural health clinics, or to medical 
        professional associations, to establish or enhance evidence-
        based or evidence-informed programs dedicated to improving 
        mental health and resiliency for health care professionals.
            ``(2) Use of funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant 
        or contract under this subsection shall use funds received 
        through the grant or contract to implement a new program or 
        enhance an existing program to promote mental health among 
        health care professionals, which may include--
                    ``(A) improving awareness among health care 
                professionals about risk factors for, and signs of, 
                suicide and mental health or substance use disorders, 
                in accordance with evidence-based or evidence-informed 
                practices;
                    ``(B) establishing new, or enhancing existing, 
                evidence-based or evidence-informed programs for 
                preventing suicide and improving mental health and 
                resiliency among health care professionals;
                    ``(C) establishing new, or enhancing existing, 
                peer-support programs among health care professionals; 
                or
                    ``(D) providing mental health care, follow-up 
                services and care, or referral for such services and 
                care, as appropriate.
            ``(3) Priority.--In awarding grants and contracts under 
        this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible 
        entities in health professional shortage areas or rural areas.
    ``(b) Training Grants.--The Secretary may establish a program to 
award grants to health professions schools, academic health centers, 
State or local governments, Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations, or 
other appropriate public or private nonprofit entities (or consortia of 
entities, including entities promoting multidisciplinary approaches) to 
support the training of health care students, residents, or health care 
professionals in evidence-based or evidence-informed strategies to 
address mental and substance use disorders and improve mental health 
and resiliency among health care professionals.
    ``(c) Grant Terms.--A grant or contract awarded under subsection 
(a) or (b) shall be for a period of 3 years.
    ``(d) Application Submission.--An entity seeking a grant or 
contract under subsection (a) or (b) shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
information as the Secretary may require.
    ``(e) Reporting.--An entity awarded a grant or contract under 
subsection (a) or (b) shall periodically submit to the Secretary a 
report evaluating the activities supported by the grant or contract.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section 
and section 5 of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection 
Act, there are authorized to be appropriated $35,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2022 through 2024.''.

SEC. 5. REVIEW WITH RESPECT TO HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH 
              AND RESILIENCY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, 
shall--
            (1) conduct a review on improving health care professional 
        mental health and the outcomes of programs authorized under 
        this Act; and
            (2) submit a report to the Congress on the results of such 
        review.
    (b) Considerations.--The review under subsection (a) shall take 
into account--
            (1) the prevalence and severity of mental health conditions 
        among health professionals, and factors that contribute to 
        those mental health conditions;
            (2) barriers to seeking and accessing mental health care 
        for health care professionals, which may include consideration 
        of stigma and licensing concerns, and actions taken by State 
        licensing boards, schools for health professionals, health care 
        professional training associations, hospital associations, or 
        other organizations, as appropriate, to address such barriers;
            (3) the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency on 
        the mental health of health care professionals and lessons 
        learned for future public health emergencies;
            (4) factors that promote mental health and resiliency among 
        health care professionals, including programs or strategies to 
        strengthen mental health and resiliency among health care 
        professionals; and
            (5) the efficacy of health professional training programs 
        that promote resiliency and improve mental health.
    (c) Recommendations.--The review under subsection (a), as 
appropriate, shall identify best practices related to, and make 
recommendations to address--
            (1) improving mental health and resiliency among health 
        care professionals;
            (2) removing barriers to mental health care for health care 
        professionals; and
            (3) strategies to promote resiliency among health care 
        professionals in health care settings.

SEC. 6. GAO REPORT.

    Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Congress a 
report on the extent to which Federal substance use disorder and mental 
health grant programs address the prevalence and severity of mental 
health conditions and substance use disorders among health 
professionals. Such report shall--
            (1) include an analysis of available evidence and data 
        related to such conditions and programs; and
            (2) assess whether there are duplicative goals and 
        objectives among such grant programs.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 8, 2021.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
117th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 1667

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

     To address behavioral health and well-being among health care 
                             professionals.