Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act of 2021
This bill establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) two demonstration programs to increase access to mental health services provided in languages other than English at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). In carrying out the programs, HHS must give preference to FQHCs at which at least 20% of the patients are best served in a language other than English.
First, HHS must provide National Health Service Corps (NHSC) loan repayments to mental health care providers who agree to serve their period of obligated service in an FQHC. HHS may provide enhanced payments to those who serve in an FQHC with non-English language needs. (The NHSC is a scholarship and student loan repayment program for eligible health care providers who agree to work in areas with a shortage of primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers.)
Second, HHS must award grants to FQHCs for recruiting and retaining mental health care providers who are fluent in a language other than English.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5937 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5937
To increase language access to mental health services at certain health
centers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 9, 2021
Ms. Meng (for herself, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms.
Norton, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Bass, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Takano, Ms.
Garcia of Texas, Mr. Mfume, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Lieu, Ms. Barragan, Mr.
Espaillat, Mr. Sires, Mr. Raskin, Mrs. Fletcher, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr.
Trone, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Clarke of New York,
Mrs. Napolitano, and Ms. Chu) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To increase language access to mental health services at certain health
centers, and for other purposes.
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 ``Mental Health Workforce and Language
Access Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO INCREASE LANGUAGE ACCESS AT FEDERALLY
QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS.
(a) Loan Repayments to Qualified Health Care Professionals.--
(1) In general.--For the purpose of increasing language
access to mental health services, the Secretary shall carry out
a demonstration project under which--
(A) the Secretary matches qualified mental health
professionals with Federally qualified health centers;
(B) the qualified mental health professionals each
agree to a period of obligated service at a Federally
qualified health center with which they are so matched;
and
(C) the Secretary agrees to make loan repayments
under section 338B of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 254l-1) on behalf of such qualified mental
health professionals.
(2) Preference.--In matching qualified mental health
professionals with Federally qualified health centers under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to placement
at Federally qualified health centers at which at least 20
percent of the patients are best served in a language other
than English, as indicated by data in the Uniform Data System
(or any successor database).
(3) Enhanced compensation.--For each year of obligated
service that a qualified mental health professional contracts
to serve under paragraph (1) at a Federally qualified health
center at which at least 20 percent of the patients are best
served in a language other than English, as indicated by data
in the Uniform Data System (or any successor database), the
Secretary may pay the higher of--
(A) $10,000 above the maximum amount otherwise
applicable under section 338B(g)(2)(A) of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l-1(g)(2)(A)); or
(B) if the qualified health professional is fluent
in a language other than English that is needed by such
Federally qualified health center, $15,000 above such
maximum amount.
(4) Achieving fluency.--A qualified mental health
professional subject to the pay amount specified in paragraph
(3)(A) at the beginning of the professional's period of
obligated service may transition to being subject to the higher
pay amount specified in paragraph (3)(B) if the professional is
determined by the Federally qualified health center at which
the professional serves to have achieved fluency in a language
other than English needed by that health center.
(b) Grants to Health Centers.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a
demonstration program consisting of awarding grants under
section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b)
to Federally qualified health centers to recruit, hire, employ,
and supervise qualified mental health professionals who are
fluent in a language other than English to provide mental
health services in such other language.
(2) Preference.--In selecting grant recipients under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to Federally
qualified health centers at which at least 20 percent of the
patients are best served in a language other than English, as
indicated by data in the Uniform Data System (or any successor
database).
(3) Marketing.--A Federally qualified health center
receiving a grant under this subsection shall use a portion of
the grant funds to disseminate information about, and otherwise
market, the mental health services supported through the grant.
(c) Reports.--
(1) Initial report.--Not later than 6 months after the
first loan repayment awards have been made under subsection (a)
and the first grants have been awarded under subsection (b),
the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and to other
appropriate congressional committees, a report on the
implementation of the programs under this section. Such report
shall include--
(A) the languages spoken by the qualified mental
health professionals receiving loan repayments pursuant
to subsection (a) or recruited pursuant to a grant
under subsection (b);
(B) the Federally qualified health centers at which
such professionals were placed;
(C) how many Federally qualified health centers
received funding through the grant program under
subsection (b);
(D) an analysis, conducted in consultation with the
Federally qualified health centers receiving grants
under section (b), of the effectiveness of such grants
at increasing language access to mental health
services; and
(E) best practices, developed in consultation with
Federally qualified health centers receiving grants
under section (b), for the recruitment and retention of
mental health professionals at Federally qualified
health centers.
(2) Final report.--Not later than the end of fiscal year
2026, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate,
and to other appropriate congressional committees, a final
report on the implementation of the programs under this
section, including the information, analysis, and best
practices listed in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph
(1).
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``Federally qualified health center'' has the
meaning given the term in section 1861(aa) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)).
(2) The term ``qualified mental health professional''
means--
(A) physicians, allopathic physicians, osteopathic
physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician
assistants with a specialty in mental health and
psychiatry;
(B) health service psychologists;
(C) licensed clinical social workers;
(D) psychiatric nurse specialists;
(E) marriage and family therapists;
(F) licensed professional counselors;
(G) substance use disorder counselors;
(H) occupational therapists; and
(I) other individuals who--
(i) have not yet been licensed or certified
to serve as a professional listed in any of
subparagraphs (A) through (H); and
(ii) will serve at the Federally qualified
health center under the supervision of a
licensed individual or certified professional
so listed.
(3) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health
and Human Services.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--To carry out this section, there is
authorized to be appropriated $75,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2022 through 2026.
(2) Supplement not supplant.--Amounts made available to
carry out this section shall be in addition to amounts
otherwise available to provide mental health services at
Federally qualified health centers pursuant to sections 338B
and 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l-1,
254b).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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