[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5661-S5662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6105. Ms. MURKOWSKI submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr. Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe)
and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 7900, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. ___. PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE CARE PROVIDED TO PATIENTS IN
THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WHO ARE AT RISK OF
SUICIDE.
Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``SEC. 399V-7. PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE CARE PROVIDED TO
PATIENTS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WHO ARE AT
RISK OF SUICIDE.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a program
(in this section referred to as the `Program') to improve the
identification, assessment, and treatment of patients in
emergency departments who are at risk for suicide, including
by--
``(1) developing policies and procedures for identifying
and assessing individuals who are at risk of suicide; and
``(2) enhancing the coordination of care for such
individuals after discharge.
``(b) Grant Establishment and Participation.--
``(1) In general.--In carrying out the Program, the
Secretary shall award grants on a competitive basis to not
more than 40 eligible health care sites described in
paragraph (2).
``(2) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under this
section, a health care site shall--
``(A) submit an application to the Secretary at such time,
in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may specify;
``(B) be a hospital (as defined in section 1861(e) of the
Social Security Act);
``(C) have an emergency department; and
``(D) deploy onsite health care or social service
professionals to help connect and integrate patients who are
at risk of suicide with treatment and mental health support
services.
``(3) Preference.--In awarding grants under this section,
the Secretary may give preference to eligible health care
sites described in paragraph (2) that meet at least one of
the following criteria:
``(A) The eligible health care site is a critical access
hospital (as defined in section 1861(mm)(1) of the Social
Security Act).
[[Page S5662]]
``(B) The eligible health care site is a sole community
hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(5)(D)(iii) of the
Social Security Act).
``(C) The eligible health care site is operated by the
Indian Health Service, by an Indian Tribe or Tribal
organization (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act), or
by an urban Indian organization (as defined in section 4 of
the Indian Health Care Improvement Act).
``(D) The eligible health care site is located in a
geographic area with a suicide rate that is higher than the
national rate, as determined by the Secretary based on the
most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
``(c) Period of Grant.--A grant awarded to an eligible
health care site under this section shall be for a period of
at least 2 years.
``(d) Grant Uses.--
``(1) Required uses.--A grant awarded under this section to
an eligible health care site shall be used for the following
purposes:
``(A) To train emergency department health care
professionals to identify, assess, and treat patients who are
at risk of suicide.
``(B) To establish and implement policies and procedures
for emergency departments to improve the identification,
assessment, and treatment of individuals who are at risk of
suicide.
``(C) To establish and implement policies and procedures
with respect to care coordination, integrated care models, or
referral to evidence-based treatment to be used upon the
discharge from the emergency department of patients who are
at risk of suicide.
``(2) Additional permissible uses.--In addition to the
required uses listed in paragraph (1), a grant awarded under
this section to an eligible health care site may be used for
any of the following purposes:
``(A) To hire emergency department psychiatrists,
psychologists, nurse practitioners, counselors, therapists,
or other licensed health care and behavioral health
professionals specializing in the treatment of individuals at
risk of suicide.
``(B) To develop and implement best practices for the
follow-up care and long-term treatment of individuals who are
at risk of suicide.
``(C) To increase the availability of, and access to,
evidence-based treatment for individuals who are at risk of
suicide, including through telehealth services and strategies
to reduce the boarding of these patients in emergency
departments.
``(D) To offer consultation with and referral to other
supportive services that provide evidence-based treatment and
recovery for individuals who are at risk of suicide.
``(e) Reporting Requirements.--
``(1) Reports by grantees.--Each eligible health care site
receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the
Secretary an annual report for each year for which the grant
is received on the progress of the program funded through the
grant. Each such report shall include information on--
``(A) the number of individuals screened in the site's
emergency department for being at risk of suicide;
``(B) the number of individuals identified in the site's
emergency department as being--
``(i) survivors of an attempted suicide; or
``(ii) are at risk of suicide;
``(C) the number of individuals who are identified in the
site's emergency department as being at risk of suicide by a
health care or behavioral health professional hired pursuant
to subsection (d)(2)(A);
``(D) the number of individuals referred by the site's
emergency department to other treatment facilities, the types
of such other facilities, and the number of such individuals
admitted to such other facilities pursuant to such referrals;
``(E) the effectiveness of programs and activities funded
through the grant in preventing suicides and suicide
attempts; and
``(F) any other relevant additional data regarding the
programs and activities funded through the grant.
``(2) Report by secretary.--Not later than one year after
the end of fiscal year 2027, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report that includes--
``(A) findings on the Program;
``(B) overall patient outcomes achieved through the
Program;
``(C) an evaluation of the effectiveness of having a
trained health care or behavioral health professional onsite
to identify, assess, and treat patients who are at risk of
suicide; and
``(D) a compilation of policies, procedures, and best
practices established, developed, or implemented by grantees
under this section.
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for
the period of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.''.
______