Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act
This bill sets out activities and modifies existing programs to address racial and ethnic mental health disparities.
Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must implement a strategy for promoting behavioral and mental health and reducing stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance use disorder among racial and ethnic minority groups. HHS must consult with appropriate advocacy groups and behavioral health organizations on this strategy. Additionally, HHS must seek to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for a study on research gaps related to mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups.
Modifications to existing programs include (1) permitting HHS to prioritize health care facilities that serve a high proportion of racial and ethnic minority groups when awarding grants for integrating physical and behavioral health care, and (2) extending the authorization for the grants from FY2027 through FY2029. The bill also permits the use of funds available through the Minority Fellowship Program for developing best practices or core competencies to address mental health disparities in curricula for training social workers, psychologists, and other behavioral health professionals. (This program supports the education and training of minority students who are studying for advanced degrees in a mental or behavioral health profession.)
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3548 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3548
To address mental health issues for youth, particularly youth of color,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 18, 2023
Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Brown, Ms.
Norton, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. Crockett, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Payne,
Mr. Thanedar, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Lee of California,
Ms. Omar, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Trone, Ms. Wilson of Florida,
Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Ms. Escobar, Mrs. Foushee, Mr.
Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Kim of New Jersey, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania,
and Ms. Budzinski) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To address mental health issues for youth, particularly youth of color,
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 ``Pursuing Equity in Mental Health
Act''.
SEC. 2. PRIMARY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE GRANT PROGRAM.
Section 520K of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-42)
is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (d) through (i) as
subsections (e) through (j), respectively;
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
``(d) Special Consideration Regarding Services for Racial and
Ethnic Minority Groups.--In awarding grants under subsection (b), the
Secretary may, as appropriate, give special consideration to eligible
entities serving a high proportion of racial and ethnic minority
groups.'';
(3) in subsection (c)(2)(G), by striking ``subsection (e)''
and inserting ``subsection (f)'';
(4) in subsection (h)--
(A) by striking ``subsection (f)'' and inserting
``subsection (g)''; and
(B) by striking ``subsection (d)(2)'' and inserting
``subsection (e)(2)''; and
(5) in subsection (j)(1) (as redesignated by paragraph
(1)), by striking ``$60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023
through 2027'' and inserting ``$60,000,000 for fiscal year 2023
and $80,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029''.
SEC. 3. ADDRESSING RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES
RESEARCH GAPS.
Not later than 9 months after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, in consultation
with the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and the
Assistant Secretary of Substance Use and Mental Health, shall enter
into an arrangement with the National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine (or, if the National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine decline to enter into such an arrangement,
the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality, or another appropriate entity)--
(1) to conduct a study with respect to mental health
disparities research gaps in racial and ethnic minority groups
(as defined in section 1707(g) of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 300u-6(g))); and
(2) to submit to the Congress a report on the results of
such study, including--
(A) a compilation of information on the prevalence
of mental health outcomes in such racial and ethnic
minority groups; and
(B) an assessment of information on the impact of
exposure to community violence, adverse childhood
experiences, structural bias, and other psychological
traumas on mental health outcomes in such racial and
minority groups.
SEC. 4. HEALTH PROFESSIONS COMPETENCIES TO ADDRESS RACIAL AND ETHNIC
MINORITY MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES.
Section 597 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290ll) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections
(c) and (d), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
``(b) Best Practices; Core Competencies.--An individual or entity
receiving a grant under subsection (a) may use the funds to engage in
the following activities related to the development and dissemination
of best practices or core competencies addressing mental health
disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups for use in the
training of students in the professions of social work, psychology,
psychiatry, addiction medicine, marriage and family therapy, mental
health counseling, and substance misuse counseling:
``(1) Formation of committees or working groups comprised
of experts from accredited health professions schools to
identify best practices and core competencies relating to
mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority
groups.
``(2) Planning of workshops in national fora to allow for
public input into the educational needs associated with mental
health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups.
``(3) Dissemination and promotion of the use of best
practices or core competencies in undergraduate and graduate
health professions training programs nationwide.
``(4) Establishing external advisory boards to provide
meaningful input into policy and program development and best
practices to reduce mental health disparities among racial and
ethnic minority groups.''.
SEC. 5. RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION STRATEGY.
Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290dd
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 552 (42 U.S.C. 290ee-7)
of such Act the following:
``SEC. 554. BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
STRATEGY.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall, in consultation with
advocacy and behavioral and mental health organizations serving racial
and ethnic minority groups, develop and implement an outreach and
education strategy to promote behavioral and mental health and reduce
stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance use among
racial and ethnic minority groups. Such strategy shall--
``(1) be designed to--
``(A) meet the diverse cultural and language needs
of the various racial and ethnic minority groups; and
``(B) be developmentally and age-appropriate;
``(2) increase awareness of symptoms of mental illnesses
common among such groups, taking into account differences
within at-risk subgroups;
``(3) provide information on evidence-based, culturally and
linguistically appropriate and adapted interventions and
treatments;
``(4) ensure full participation of, and engage, both
consumers and community members, which may include adolescents
and young adults, in the development and implementation of
materials; and
``(5) seek to broaden the perspective among both
individuals in these groups and communities serving these
groups to use a comprehensive and integrated public health
approach to promoting behavioral health by focusing on the
intersection between behavioral and physical health.
``(b) Reports.--Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress, and make publicly available, a report on the
extent to which the strategy developed and implemented under subsection
(a) addressed behavioral and mental health outcomes associated with
mental health conditions and substance use among racial and ethnic
minority groups.
``(c) Definition.--In this section, the term `racial and ethnic
minority group' has the meaning given to that term in section 1707(g).
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2024 through 2029.''.
SEC. 6. ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.
(a) In General.--In addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be
appropriated to the National Institutes of Health, there is authorized
to be appropriated to such Institutes $150,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2024 through 2029 to--
(1) build relations with communities and conduct or support
clinical research, including clinical research on racial or
ethnic disparities in physical and mental health; and
(2) to carry out the Strategic Framework For Addressing
Youth Mental Health Disparities developed by the National
Institute of Mental Health.
(b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``clinical research''
has the meaning given to such term in section 409 of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284d).
SEC. 7. ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON MINORITY HEALTH AND
HEALTH DISPARITIES.
In addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to
the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, there
is authorized to be appropriated to such Institute $750,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029.
SEC. 8. TECHNICAL CORRECTION.
Title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa et seq.)
is amended--
(1) by redesignating the second section 550 (42 U.S.C.
290ee-10) (relating to Sobriety Treatment And Recovery Teams)
as section 553; and
(2) by moving such section, as so redesignated, so as to
appear after section 552 (42 U.S.C. 290ee-7).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line