Strengthening Our Pediatric Mental Health Workforce Act

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8375 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8375

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance 
 to States on strategies under Medicaid and CHIP to increase pediatric 
mental and behavioral health provider education, training, recruitment, 
            retention, and support, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 14, 2024

  Ms. Caraveo (for herself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. 
   Jackson Lee, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Norton, Ms. 
  Tlaib, and Ms. Stansbury) introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance 
 to States on strategies under Medicaid and CHIP to increase pediatric 
mental and behavioral health provider education, training, recruitment, 
            retention, and support, 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 ``Strengthening Our Pediatric Mental 
Health Workforce Act''.

SEC. 2. GUIDANCE TO STATES ON STRATEGIES UNDER MEDICAID AND CHIP TO 
              INCREASE PEDIATRIC MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDER 
              EDUCATION, TRAINING, RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND SUPPORT.

    Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall issue guidance to 
States on strategies (including strategies that utilize waivers under 
section 1115 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315) or other 
authorities under titles XIX and XXI of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et 
seq., 1397aa et seq.)) such States may utilize under the Medicaid and 
CHIP programs to--
            (1) increase the education, training, recruitment, and 
        retention of pediatricians, child and adolescent psychiatrists, 
        and other pediatric mental and behavioral health providers that 
        participate in such programs;
            (2) improve the capacity of pediatricians, child and 
        adolescent psychiatrists, and other pediatric mental and 
        behavioral health providers that serve populations with limited 
        English proficiency;
            (3) recruit and retain pediatricians, child and adolescent 
        psychiatrists, and other pediatric mental and behavioral health 
        professionals that practice in rural and underserved areas;
            (4) expand the capacity of the pediatric mental and 
        behavioral health care workforce that practices in rural and 
        underserved areas;
            (5) increase the recruitment and retention of racial and 
        ethnic minorities in the pediatric mental and behavioral health 
        professions;
            (6) promote the capabilities of and payments available to 
        pediatric mental and behavioral providers across disciplines 
        that participate in such programs through implementation of 
        integrated care models, primary care behavioral health models, 
        collaborative care models, pediatric mental health care 
        telehealth access programs (as described in section 330M(b) of 
        the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-19(b))), and 
        consultation with and training of other allied professionals 
        and community organizations engaged in pediatric mental and 
        behavioral health services; and
            (7) improve provider participation and recruitment in such 
        programs through various incentive strategies, such as 
        increased reimbursement, scholarships, and student loan 
        repayment programs, and to support the needs of pediatricians, 
        child and adolescent psychiatrists, and other pediatric mental 
        and behavioral health providers that participate in such 
        programs to reduce rates of turnover, burnout, and intent to 
        leave.

SEC. 3. REPORT ON STRATEGIES UNDER MEDICAID AND CHIP TO INCREASE 
              PEDIATRIC MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDER 
              EDUCATION, TRAINING, RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND SUPPORT.

     Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, 
and make publicly available, a report analyzing implementation of 
strategies described in section 2.
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