Latino Youth Mental Health Empowerment Act
This bill requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to conduct outreach and studies relating to mental health in the Hispanic and Latino community. SAMHSA must develop and implement an education and outreach campaign to promote mental health and reduce stigma associated with mental health within the Hispanic and Latino youth population. SAMHSA must also conduct studies on mental health among Hispanic and Latino youth and strategies for increasing the mental health professional workforce within the Hispanic and Latino community, and publish reports on the findings of the studies.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8376 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8376
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a national
awareness and outreach campaign to improve mental health among the
Hispanic and Latino youth population.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 14, 2024
Ms. Caraveo (for herself, Mr. Cardenas, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Salinas,
Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Norton, Mrs. Watson
Coleman, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Torres of New York, Mr.
Vargas, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Tlaib, and Ms.
Stansbury) 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 for a national
awareness and outreach campaign to improve mental health among the
Hispanic and Latino youth population.
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 ``Latino Youth Mental Health
Empowerment Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Hispanic and Latino youth often experience and suffer
from toxic stress, which stems from prolonged stress, trauma,
or adverse childhood experiences.
(2) At least 78 percent of Hispanic and Latino youth suffer
from at least one adverse childhood experience, which can harm
a child's physical and mental health.
(3) Among Hispanic and Latino youth, approximately 60
percent were more likely to report poor mental health compared
to their counterparts.
(4) About 37 percent of Hispanic and Latino youth have
reported symptoms of moderate to severe depression.
(5) Approximately 22 percent of Hispanic and Latino high
school students have seriously contemplated suicide.
(6) Hispanic and Latinos are less likely than any other
ethnic groups to receive clinical or school-based mental
illness treatment and medication.
(7) Hispanic and Latino youth are less likely to use mental
health care services compared to children of other ethnic
groups.
(8) There are numerous factors that impact accessibility to
mental health services and mental health outcomes. For
instance, lower rates of health insurance, language and
cultural barriers, and lack of parental education on mental
health all contribute to adverse mental health outcomes for
Hispanic and Latino youth.
(9) Increased awareness and outreach about mental health to
Hispanic and Latino parents, caregivers, and youth are vital to
ensure that Hispanic and Latino youth can experience positive
mental health outcomes and reduced mental illness.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL HISPANIC AND LATINO MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND
OUTREACH CAMPAIGN.
Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290dd
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 553. NATIONAL HISPANIC AND LATINO YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN.
``(a) Study on Prior Campaigns.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall conduct a
study on--
``(1) any education and outreach campaigns to promote
mental health and reduce stigma associated with mental health
that were carried out by the Secretary on or before the date of
the enactment of the Latino Youth Mental Health Empowerment
Act; and
``(2) which messaging delivered through such campaigns was
most effective within the Latino community.
``(b) Establishment of Campaign.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary, shall develop and implement a national
awareness and outreach campaign to promote mental health and
reduce stigma associated with mental health within the Hispanic
and Latino youth population. Such campaign shall be developed--
``(A) taking into account the results of the study
conducted under subsection (a);
``(B) in coordination with the Director of the
Office of Minority Health, the Director of the National
Institutes of Health, the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, and Assistant Secretary
for Mental Health and Substance Use, and the Secretary
of Education; and
``(C) in consultation with relevant advocacy and
mental health organizations serving populations of
Hispanic and Latino individuals or communities.
``(2) Elements of campaign.--The campaign under paragraph
(1) shall--
``(A) develop a culturally- and linguistically-
competent awareness campaign, targeted at Hispanic and
Latino parents, caregivers, youth, teachers, school
personnel, and school clinic staff to meet the diverse
needs of Hispanic and Latino youth, including--
``(i) increasing awareness of symptoms
associated with mental illnesses, including
their prevalence and misconceptions among
youth;
``(ii) increasing awareness of factors
driving mental illness among Hispanic and
Latino youth, including factors that are social
determinants of health, taking into account
differences within population subgroups, such
as gender, gender identity, age, sexual
orientation, ethnicity, geographic region or
location, immigration status, and history of
adverse childhood experiences;
``(iii) combatting the stigma of mental
illnesses that are common in the Hispanic and
Latino community, taking into account
differences within such population subgroups;
and
``(iv) increasing awareness of evidence-
based, culturally-tailored, and trauma-informed
mental illness screening, intervention, and
treatment options, taking into account
differences within such population subgroups;
and
``(B) develop a culturally and linguistically
competent outreach campaign, targeted at Hispanic and
Latino parents, caregivers, youth, teachers, school
personnel, and school clinic staff to meet the diverse
needs of Hispanic and Latino youth, including--
``(i) creating and distributing mental
health materials and resources (including
materials relating to the National Suicide
Prevention and Mental Health Hotline under
section 520E-3) in collaboration with local,
State, and national community advocates and
stakeholders, taking into account differences
within population subgroups, such as gender,
gender identity, age, sexual orientation,
ethnicity, and geographic region or location;
``(ii) hosting in-person and virtual mental
health workshops at relevant locations,
including elementary schools and secondary
schools (as defined in section 8101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
community centers, and other appropriate sites;
``(iii) providing youth mental health first
aid training to parents, caregivers, teachers,
school personnel, and school clinic staff, and
other personnel that consistently interact or
work with the target population;
``(iv) establishing partnerships between
local, State, and national mental health
agencies and elementary schools and secondary
schools (as defined in section 8101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965), after-school programs, and other
appropriate sites that serve Hispanic and
Latino youth; and
``(v) providing mental health screenings
and on-site consultations at elementary schools
and secondary schools (as defined in section
8101 of the of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965), community centers, and
other appropriates sites.
``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2025 through 2029.''.
SEC. 4. STUDY AND REPORT ON THE HISPANIC AND LATINO YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH
CRISIS.
(a) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, in
coordination with the Director of the National Institutes of
Health, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the Director of the Office of Minority Health, and
the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, shall conduct
a study on mental health among Hispanic and Latino youth.
(2) Elements.--Such study required under paragraph (1)
shall include an assessment of--
(A) the prevalence and risk factors of mental
health and substance use disorders among Hispanic and
Latino youth;
(B) the prevalence of attempted suicide and death
by suicide among Hispanic and Latino youth;
(C) the prevalence of treatment for mental health
and substance use disorders among Hispanic and Latino
youth;
(D) the awareness and utilization of the 9-8-8
National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Hotline
under section 520E-3 of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 290bb-36c) and other mental health and
suicide prevention hotlines among Hispanic and Latino
youth;
(E) the awareness, utilization, and availability of
mobile crisis care teams, dispatched through the 9-8-8
National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Hotline
or other mental health and suicide prevent hotlines,
among Hispanic and Latino youth; and
(F) the awareness, utilization, and availability of
crisis centers for Hispanic and Latino youth in acute
mental health or substance use crisis.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of the Latino Youth Mental Health Empowerment Act, the Secretary 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 on the findings
of the study conducted under subsection (a), including--
(1) identification of the barriers to accessing mental
health services and treatment for Hispanic and Latino youth;
(2) recommendations to improve mental health services,
outreach, and treatment among Hispanic and Latino youth;
(3) recommendations to reduce rates of mental health and
substance use disorders and suicide among Hispanic and Latino
youth;
(4) recommendations to improve awareness and utilization of
the 9-8-8 National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Hotline
and other mental health and suicide prevention hotlines among
Hispanic and Latino youth;
(5) recommendations to improve access to, and utilization
of, mobile crisis care teams among Hispanic and Latino youth,
when clinically appropriate;
(6) recommendation to improve access to, and utilization
of, crisis centers for Hispanic and Latino youth in acute
mental health or substance use crisis, when clinically
appropriate; and
(7) such other recommendations as the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(c) Data.--Any data included in the study or report under this
section shall be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender
identity, sexual orientation, geographic region, disability status, and
other relevant factors, in a manner that, as appropriate and feasible,
protects personal privacy and that is consistent with applicable
Federal and State privacy law.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For purposes of carrying out
this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for
fiscal year 2025.
SEC. 5. STUDY AND REPORT ON THE HISPANIC AND LATINO MENTAL HEALTH
WORKFORCE SHORTAGE.
(a) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, in
coordination with the Administrator of the Health Resources and
Services Administration, the Director of the Office of Minority
Health, the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, and
the Secretary of Labor, and shall conduct a study on strategies
for increasing the mental health professional workforce that
identify as Hispanic or Latino.
(2) Elements.--Such study required under paragraph (1)
shall address--
(A) the total number of licensed clinical and non-
clinical mental health providers who identify as
Hispanic or Latino;
(B) with respect to each such provider, information
regarding the current license type, geographic location
of practice, and type of employer (such as a hospital,
Federally-qualified health center (as defined in
section 1861(aa)(4) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(4))), elementary school or secondary
school (as such terms are defined in section 8101 of
the of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), or private practice);
(C) information regarding the languages spoken
among providers, including the level of proficiency in
speaking, reading, and writing such languages; and
(D) the current enrollment of Hispanic and Latino
individuals in mental health professional education
programs.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary 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 on the findings of the study conducted under
subsection (a). Such report shall--
(1) assess Hispanic and Latino clinical and non-clinical
mental health providers' knowledge and awareness of the
barriers to quality mental health care services faced by
Hispanic and Latino individuals;
(2) include recommendations for actions to be taken by the
Secretary to increase the number of Hispanic and Latino
clinical and non-clinical mental health professionals;
(3) include recommendations to improve enrollment in mental
health professional education programs among Hispanic and
Latino individuals; and
(4) include such other recommendations as the Secretary
determines appropriate.
(c) Data.--Any data included in the study or report under this
section shall be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender
identity, sexual orientation, geographic region, disability status, and
other relevant factors, in a manner that protects personal privacy and
that is consistent with applicable Federal and State privacy law.
(d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``clinical and non-
clinical mental health provider'' means any individual licensed to
provide mental health or substance use disorder services, including in
the professions of social work, psychology, psychiatry, marriage and
family therapy, mental health counseling, substance use disorder
counseling, peer support, primary care, pediatrics, nursing, and other
fields as determined by the Secretary.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For purposes of carrying out
this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for
fiscal year 2025.
<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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