117 S4472 IS: Health Care Capacity for Pediatric Mental Health Act of 2022 U.S. Senate 2022-06-23 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II117th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 4472IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJune 23, 2022Mr. Casey (for himself and Mr. Cassidy) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsA BILLTo expand the availability of mental, emotional, behavioral, and substance use disorder health services, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Health Care Capacity for Pediatric Mental Health Act of 2022.

2.

Programs to support pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, and substance use disorder health care

Subpart V of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 256 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

340A–1.

Program to support pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, and substance use disorder health care integration and coordination

(a)

In general

The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible entities for the purpose of supporting pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, and substance use disorder health care integration and coordination to meet local community needs in underserved and high-need communities.(b)

Eligible entities

Entities eligible for grants under subsection (a) include—(1)children’s hospitals;(2)facilities that provide trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive, developmentally-appropriate intensive pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, or substance use disorder health services in partial hospital, day treatment, intensive outpatient program, or walk-in crisis assessment program settings; and(3)other entities providing trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive, developmentally-appropriate intensive pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, or substance use disorder health services, as the Secretary determines appropriate.(c)

Prioritization

In making awards under subsection (a), the Secretary shall prioritize—(1)applicants that demonstrate plans to utilize funds to expand access to integrated care and care coordination for the prevention, screening, assessment, and treatment of pediatric mental health disorders, eating disorders, developmental disorders, and substance use disorders in high-need, rural, or underserved communities; (2)applicants that demonstrate plans to coordinate with and complement initiatives to improve pediatric mental health and substance use disorder care implemented through other Federal programs; and(3)applicants that demonstrate a significant role in care for children in the region.(d)

Use of funds

Activities that may be funded through an award under subsection (a) include—(1)increasing the capacity of eligible entities to integrate trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive, developmentally-appropriate pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, and substance use disorder health services, including through telehealth access to, and co-location of, mental, emotional, behavioral, and substance use disorder health providers; (2)facilitating access to trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive, developmentally-appropriate intensive pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, or substance use disorder health services in partial hospital, day treatment, intensive outpatient program, or walk-in crisis assessment program settings, in order to prevent hospitalizations and support children as they transition back to their homes and communities; (3)supporting the collection of data on pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, and substance use disorder health care needs, service utilization and availability, and demographic data, to identify unmet needs and barriers in access to care, in a manner that protects personal privacy, consistent with applicable Federal and State privacy laws;(4)establishing or maintaining community-based pediatric mental health and substance use disorder partnerships, such as partnerships with schools, early childhood education programs, community-based organizations, and community-based mental health and substance use disorder care providers, to address identified gaps in access to care; and(5)training for non-clinical pediatric health care workers, including care coordinators, community health workers, and navigators, on providing trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive, developmentally-appropriate care for pediatric mental health disorders, eating disorders, developmental disorders, and substance use disorders, and on local resources to support children and their caregivers.(e)

Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

340A–2.

Pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, and substance use disorder health workforce training program

(a)

In general

The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, shall award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible entities for the purpose of supporting evidence-based pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, and substance use disorder health workforce training.(b)

Eligible entities

Entities eligible for grants under subsection (a) include—(1)children’s hospitals; (2)facilities that provide trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive, developmentally-appropriate intensive pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, or substance use disorder health services in partial hospital, day treatment, intensive outpatient program, or walk-in crisis assessment program settings, that can prevent hospitalizations and support children as they transition back to their homes and communities; and(3)other entities providing trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive, developmentally-appropriate intensive pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, or substance use disorder health services, as the Secretary determines appropriate. (c)

Prioritization

In making awards under subsection (a), the Secretary shall prioritize applicants that serve high-need, rural, or underserved communities, and that demonstrate plans to utilize funds to expand access to prevention, screening, assessment, and treatment of pediatric mental health disorders, eating disorders, developmental disorders, and substance use disorders. (d)

Use of funds

Activities that may be supported through an award under subsection (a) include expanded training to enhance the capabilities of the existing workforce, including primary care providers, pediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, counselors, and other health care providers, as the Secretary determines appropriate, to provide trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive, developmentally-appropriate care for pediatric mental health disorders, eating disorders, developmental disorders, and substance use disorders. (e)

Reporting

(1)

Reports from award recipients

Not later than 180 days after the completion of activities funded by an award under this section, the entity that received such award shall submit a report to the Secretary on the activities conducted using funds from such award, and other information as the Secretary may require.(2)

Reports to Congress

Not later than 180 days after receiving reports from all award recipients, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the projects and activities conducted with funds awarded under this section, and the outcome of such projects and activities. Such report shall include—(A)the number of projects supported by awards made under this section;(B)an overview of the impact, if any, of such projects on access to pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, and substance use disorder health services;(C)recommendations for improving the investment program under this section; and(D)any other considerations as the Secretary determines appropriate. (f)

Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

.

3.

Increasing Federal investment in pediatric mental, emotional, behavioral, and substance use disorder health services

The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:.