Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act of 2023
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award supplemental grants to certain federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) for recruiting and retaining mental health care providers who are fluent in another language besides English.
HHS must award the grants to FQHCs that are already receiving federal assistance to support outpatient primary care for low-income individuals or other underserved populations. Additionally, HHS must give preference to FQHCs where at least 10% of the patients are best served in a language other than English.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3817 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3817
To increase language access to behavioral health services at eligible
health centers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 5, 2023
Ms. Meng (for herself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Ms. Clarke of New York)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To increase language access to behavioral health services at eligible
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 2023''.
SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM TO INCREASE LANGUAGE ACCESS AT ELIGIBLE
HEALTH CENTERS.
(a) Grants.--The Secretary shall carry out a demonstration program
consisting of awarding grants to eligible health centers to recruit,
hire, employ, and supervise qualified behavioral health professionals
who--
(1) are proficient in speaking and understanding both
spoken English and at least one other spoken language,
including any necessary specialized vocabulary, terminology,
and phraseology;
(2) are able to effectively, accurately, and impartially
communicate directly with limited English proficient
individuals in their primary language; and
(3) are, or will be, employed--
(A) directly by the eligible health center; or
(B) through a contract between the eligible health
center and the qualified behavioral health professional
under which such professional provides services as part
of the eligible health center's workforce or under
supervision by the health center, in order to provide
behavioral health services in another language.
(b) Preference.--In selecting grant recipients under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall give preference to eligible health centers at
which at least 10 percent of the patients are best served in a language
other than English, as indicated by data in the Uniform Data System of
the Health Resources and Services Administration (or any successor
database).
(c) Outreach.--An eligible health center receiving a grant under
this section shall use a portion of the grant funds to disseminate
information about the behavioral health services supported through the
grant.
(d) Reports.--
(1) Initial report.--Not later than 6 months after the
first grants are awarded under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations and the
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives, the Committee on Appropriations and the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate, and other appropriate congressional committees, a
report on the implementation of the program under this section.
Such report shall include--
(A) the languages spoken by the qualified
behavioral health professionals recruited pursuant to a
grant under subsection (a);
(B) the eligible health center at which each such
professional was placed;
(C) how many eligible health centers received
grants under subsection (a);
(D) an analysis, conducted in consultation with the
eligible health centers receiving grants under
subsection (a), of the effectiveness of such grants at
increasing language access to behavioral health
services; and
(E) best practices, developed in consultation with
eligible health centers receiving grants under
subsection (a), for the recruitment and retention of
qualified behavioral health professionals at such
health centers.
(2) Final report.--Not later than the end of fiscal year
2026, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on
Appropriations and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives, the Committee on Appropriations and
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate, and other appropriate congressional committees, a final
report on the implementation of the program under this section,
including the information, analysis, and best practices
described in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1).
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``eligible health center'' means a health
center (as defined in section 330 of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 254b)) that is already receiving assistance
pursuant to one or more grants under such section 330 at the
time of the award to such health center of a supplemental grant
under subsection (a).
(2) The term ``qualified behavioral health professional''
means--
(A) a behavioral and mental health professional (as
defined in section 331(a)(3)(E)(i) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254d(a)(3)(E)(i)));
(B) a substance use disorder counselor;
(C) an occupational therapist; or
(D) an individual who--
(i) has not yet been licensed or certified
to serve as a professional listed in any of
subparagraphs (A) through (C); and
(ii) will serve at the eligible 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.
(f) Funding.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, out of
amounts otherwise appropriated under section 760(g) of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294k(g)), the Secretary is authorized to
use up to $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029 to
carry out this section.
<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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