Grief Resilience Investment and Education Fund Act or the GRIEF Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to support activities to address grief and loss, with a particular focus on grief and loss related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific activities required include (1) a public education campaign on understanding grief and loss; (2) grants for training providers on bereavement care and providing such care to individuals affected by COVID-19 and related deaths; and (3) research on complicated and prolonged grief, including interventions for its prevention and treatment.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9109 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9109
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide support for
bereavement services, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 30, 2022
Mr. Morelle introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide support for
bereavement services, 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 ``Grief Resilience Investment and
Education Fund Act'' or the ``GRIEF Act''.
SEC. 2. BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT AND RESEARCH.
Title V of the Public Health Service Act is amended by adding at
the end the following new part:
``PART L--BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT AND RESEARCH
``SEC. 598. NATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN ON GRIEF LITERACY AND
THE IMPORTANCE AND AVAILABILITY OF BEREAVEMENT CARE.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish, and begin
coordinating and evaluating, a targeted public education campaign that
is designed to focus on the individual and community-wide consequences
of loss when grief is unacknowledged and unsupported. Such campaign
shall be designed to--
``(1) improve the general understanding of grief and loss,
including with respect to individuals grieving the loss of a
family member or loved one to COVID-19; and
``(2) encourage help-seeking behaviors relating to grief
and loss, including the availability of resources in
communities throughout the United States.
``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for the period of
fiscal years 2022 through 2023.
``SEC. 598A. EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR BEREAVEMENT CARE PROVIDERS AND
PEER SUPPORT.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a grant program
under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible entities to
provide grief and bereavement services and expand access to such
services.
``(b) Eligible Entities.--An entity is eligible to receive a grant
under this section if such entity is, or contracts with another entity
that is, a nonprofit or for-profit organization that has experience
administering bereavement care programs or training health care
providers, such as a hospice, hospital, palliative care provider, or
other organization, as determined by the Secretary.
``(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity may use funds received
through a grant awarded under this section--
``(1) to develop and disseminate resources designed to help
social workers, grief counselors, chaplains, and other
bereavement care providers train others in understanding the
basics of grief, evidence-based interventions, culturally
appropriate care, and where to locate community grief resources
in response to the COVID-19 pandemic;
``(2) to provide training for professionals referred to in
paragraph (1) to expand the care such providers furnish during
public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; and
``(3) provide for training for peer-to-peer bereavement
support.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $40,000,000 for the period of
fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
``SEC. 598B. GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a grant program
under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible entities to
provide grief and bereavement care to individuals (including
individuals who have not yet attained the age of 18) affected by COVID-
19 and related deaths.
``(b) Eligible Entities.--An entity is eligible to receive a grant
under this section if such entity is a nonprofit or for-profit
organization that has experience administering bereavement care
programs or training health care providers with respect to grief, such
as a hospice, hospital, palliative care provider, youth-focused
nonprofit organization, a school, or other organization, as determined
by the Secretary.
``(c) Selection.--In selecting recipients of grants under this
section, the Secretary shall consider, with respect to the eligible
entity submitting the application for such a grant--
``(1) whether the entity has provided letters of support
from other community organizations;
``(2) the length of service of the entity in providing
evidence-based bereavement care in the community and number of
patients served;
``(3) the existing structure of the entity for providing
care in the community; and
``(4) the qualifications of the entity's providers working
in the community.
``(d) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity may use funds received
through a grant awarded under this section to--
``(1) operate grief support groups;
``(2) provide psychotherapy, health behavior assessment and
intervention services, psychological testing or diagnostic
examination services, and care coordination and referral
services;
``(3) purchase, maintain, and operate software and hardware
needed for operating remote and virtual counseling; and
``(4) develop and provide community-based bereavement and
grief services, including individual counseling.
``(e) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall, not later than 5
years after the date of the enactment of this section, submit to
Congress a report on the grant program under this section. Such report
shall include--
``(1) the number of patients served by the program;
``(2) the geographic distribution of recipients of such
grant and the provision of bereavement care in underserved
areas; and
``(3) partnerships between such recipients and other
community organizations.
``(f) Funding.--
``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $150,000,000 for
the period of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
``(2) Allocation.--Of the funds made available to carry out
this section for a fiscal year--
``(A) 33 percent shall be used for grants to
provide grief and bereavement care to individuals who
have not yet attained the age of 18; and
``(B) the remainder shall be used for grants to
provide grief and bereavement care to other
individuals.
``SEC. 598C. RESEARCH ON COVID-19 AND COMPLICATED GRIEF.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of
the National Institutes of Health, shall conduct and support research
examining the experience of complicated and prolonged grief, and the
efficacy of interventions for prevention and treatment, including the
unique circumstances of complicated and prolonged grief related to the
COVID-19 pandemic and other national emergencies, with the goal of
identifying unique needs of individuals seeking help for grief stemming
from such emergencies.
``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for the period of
fiscal years 2023 through 2027.''.
<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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