Requires the Director of the Institute to: (1) coordinate NIH activities related to post-abortion conditions; (2) conduct or support research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and to find a cure for, post-abortion conditions; and (3) conduct a national longitudinal study to determine the incidence and prevalence of cases of post-abortion conditions, and the symptoms, severity, and duration of such cases, toward the goal of more fully identifying the characteristics of such cases and developing diagnostic techniques.
Requires the Secretary to make grants of up to $100,000 per fiscal year to provide for projects for the establishment, operation, and coordination of effective and cost-efficient systems for the delivery of essential services to individuals with post-abortion depression or post-abortion psychosis.
[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2271 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2271
To provide for research on, and services for, individuals with post-
abortion depression and psychosis.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 25, 2002
Mr. Smith of New Hampshire (for himself, Mr. Inhofe, and Mr. Ensign)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for research on, and services for, individuals with post-
abortion depression and psychosis.
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-Abortion Support and Services
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) About 3,000,000 women per year in the United States
have an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, and approximately
1,186,000 of these pregnancies end in elective abortion.
(2) Abortion can have severe and long-term effects on the
mental and emotional well-being of women. Women often
experience sadness and guilt following abortions with no one to
console them. They may have difficulty in bonding with new
babies, become overprotective parents, or develop problems in
their relationships with their spouses. Problems such as eating
disorders, depression, and suicide attempts have also been
traced to past abortions.
(3) Negative emotional reactions associated with abortion
include, depression, bouts of crying, guilt, intense grief or
sadness, emotional numbness, eating disorders, drug and alcohol
abuse, suicidal urges, anxiety and panic attacks, anger, rage,
sexual problems or promiscuity, lowered self esteem, nightmares
and sleep disturbances, flashbacks, and difficulty with
relationships.
(4) Women who aborted a first pregnancy are four times more
likely to report substance abuse compared to those who suffered
a natural loss of their first pregnancy, and are five times
more likely to report subsequent substance abuse than women who
carried to term.
(5) Research shows that the more women attempt to cope with
abortion using means of avoidance, mental disengagement, or
denial, the more likely the women are to report post-abortion
distress, intrusive thoughts, and dissatisfaction.
(6) Women who experience a lack of social support and
strong feelings of ambivalence are statistically more likely to
suffer severe negative emotional reactions to an abortion.
(7) Depression and other maladjustments to abortion can be
prolonged by the failure of the medical community, loved ones,
and society to recognize the complexity of post-abortion
reactions.
(8) Many women submit to an abortion in violation of their
own moral beliefs or maternal desires in order to satisfy the
demands of others.
(9) Women who submit to an abortion because of social
pressure are more likely to suffer from psychological distress
in subsequent years.
(10) Post-abortion depression is a treatable disorder if
promptly diagnosed by a trained provider and attended to with a
personalized regimen of care including social support, therapy,
medication, and when necessary, hospitalization.
(11) While there have been many studies regarding the
emotional aftermath of abortion, very little research has been
sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.
TITLE I--RESEARCH ON POST-ABORTION DEPRESSION AND PSYCHOSIS
SEC. 101. EXPANSION AND INTENSIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH.
(a) In General.--
(1) Post-abortion conditions.--The Secretary of Health and
Human Services, acting through the Director of NIH and the
Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (in this
section referred to as the ``Institute''), shall expand and
intensify research and related activities of the Institute with
respect to post-abortion depression and post-abortion psychosis
(in this section referred to as ``post-abortion conditions'').
(2) Additional conditions.--In addition to the post-
abortion conditions under paragraph (1), the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the
National Institutes of Health, shall expand and intensify
research and related activities of the National Institutes of
Health with respect to the physical side effects of having an
abortion, including infertility, excessive bleeding, cervical
tearing, infection, and death.
(b) Coordination With Other Institutes.--The Director of the
Institute shall coordinate the activities of the Directors under
subsection (a) with similar activities conducted by the other national
research institutes and agencies of the National Institutes of Health
to the extent that such Institutes and agencies have responsibilities
that are related to post-abortion conditions.
(c) Programs for Post-Abortion Conditions.--In carrying out
subsection (a), the Director of the Institute shall conduct or support
research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and to find a
cure for, post-abortion conditions. Activities under such subsection
shall include conducting and supporting the following:
(1) Basic research concerning the etiology of the
conditions.
(2) Epidemiological studies to address the frequency and
natural history of the conditions and the differences among
racial and ethnic groups with respect to the conditions.
(3) The development of improved diagnostic techniques.
(4) Clinical research for the development and evaluation of
new treatments, including new biological agents.
(5) Information and education programs for health care
professionals and the public.
(d) Longitudinal Study.--
(1) In general.--The Director of the Institute shall
conduct a national longitudinal study to determine the
incidence and prevalence of cases of post-abortion conditions,
and the symptoms, severity, and duration of such cases, toward
the goal of more fully identifying the characteristics of such
cases and developing diagnostic techniques.
(2) Report.--Beginning not later than 3 years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and periodically thereafter
for the duration of the study under paragraph (1), the Director
of the Institute shall prepare and submit to the Congress
reports on the findings of the study.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2006.
TITLE II--DELIVERY OF SERVICES REGARDING POST-ABORTION DEPRESSION AND
PSYCHOSIS
SEC. 201. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM OF GRANTS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in
this title referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall, in accordance with
this title, make grants to provide for projects for the establishment,
operation, and coordination of effective and cost-efficient systems for
the delivery of essential services to individuals with post-abortion
depression or post-abortion psychosis (referred to in this section as a
``post-abortion condition'') and their families.
(b) Recipients of Grants.--A grant under subsection (a) may be made
to an entity only if the entity--
(1) is a public or nonprofit private entity that may
include a State or local government, a public or nonprofit
private hospital, a community-based organization, a hospice, an
ambulatory care facility, a community health center, a migrant
health center, a homeless health center, or another appropriate
public or nonprofit private entity; and
(2) had experience in providing the services described in
subsection (a) before the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Certain Activities.--To the extent practicable and appropriate,
the Secretary shall ensure that projects under subsection (a) provide
services for the diagnosis and management of post-abortion conditions.
Activities that the Secretary may authorize for such projects may also
include the following:
(1) Delivering or enhancing outpatient and home-based
health and support services, including case management,
screening and comprehensive treatment services for individuals
with or at risk for post-abortion conditions, and delivering or
enhancing support services for their families.
(2) Improving the quality, availability, and organization
of health care and support services (including transportation
services, attendant care, day or respite care, and providing
counseling on financial assistance and insurance) for
individuals with post-abortion conditions and support services
for their families.
(d) Integration With Other Programs.--To the extent practicable and
appropriate, the Secretary shall integrate the program under this title
with other grant programs carried out by the Secretary, including the
program under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act.
(e) Limitation on Amount of Grants.--A grant under subsection (a)
for any fiscal year may not be made in an amount exceeding $100,000.
SEC. 202. CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.
A grant may be made under section 201 only if the applicant
involved makes the following agreements:
(1) Not more than 5 percent of the grant will be used for
administration, accounting, reporting, and program oversight
functions.
(2) The grant will be used to supplement and not supplant
funds from other sources related to the treatment of post-
abortion conditions.
(3) The applicant will abide by any limitations deemed
appropriate by the Secretary on any charges to individuals
receiving services pursuant to the grant. As deemed appropriate
by the Secretary, such limitations on charges may vary based on
the financial circumstances of the individual receiving
services.
(4) The grant will not be expended to make payment for
services authorized under section 201(a) to the extent that
payment has been made, or can reasonably be expected to be
made, with respect to such services--
(A) under any State compensation program, under an
insurance policy, or under any Federal or State health
benefits program; or
(B) by an entity that provides health services on a
prepaid basis.
(5) The applicant will, at each site at which the applicant
provides services under section 201(a), post a conspicuous
notice informing individuals who receive the services of any
Federal policies that apply to the applicant with respect to
the imposition of charges on such individuals.
SEC. 203. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
The Secretary may provide technical assistance to assist entities
in complying with the requirements of this title in order to make such
entities eligible to receive grants under section 201.
SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
For the purpose of carrying out this title, there is authorized to
be appropriated $300,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3437)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3437-3438)
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