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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8680 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8680
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through
the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to award
grants to train community mental wellness workers.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 11, 2024
Mr. Espaillat (for himself, Mr. Lawler, and Mr. Thanedar) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through
the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to award
grants to train community mental wellness workers.
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 ``Community Mental Wellness Worker
Training Act''.
SEC. 2. TRAINING COMMUNITY MENTAL WELLNESS WORKERS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting
through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use,
may award grants to eligible entities to implement community mental
wellness worker training programs.
(b) Use of Funds.--A community mental wellness worker training
program implemented pursuant to a grant under this section may
include--
(1) supporting training, certification, and supervision
during and after training of community mental wellness workers
and community mental wellness supervisors--
(A) to screen for common mental health and
substance use conditions; and
(B) to deliver evidence-informed, culturally and
linguistically competent counseling and interviewing
interventions addressing basic psychosocial or
psychotherapeutic treatment needs of persons with or at
risk for mental and substance use disorders, including
safety planning and interventions to reduce suicide
risk; and
(2) covering costs associated with--
(A) the acquisition and use of digital platforms to
provide the screening, training, supervision, and
ongoing quality assurance monitoring, outcomes
evaluation, and delivery of evidence-based treatments;
(B) the delivery of counseling and interviewing
interventions described in paragraph (1)(B); and
(C) the clinical supervision (during and after
training) of community mental wellness workers and the
certification of such workers upon the completion of
required training.
(c) Community Mental Wellness Technical Assistance Center.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental
Health and Substance Use, may provide appropriate training and
technical assistance to grantees under this section in meeting
the requirements of this section, including by--
(A) consulting with grantees on evidence-based
employment practices for community mental wellness
workers, including assistance with integrating
community wellness workers into the workflows of the
grantees and other eligible entities;
(B) identifying a diverse array of candidates for
community mental wellness worker training; and
(C) identifying behavioral health providers who may
benefit from and employ community mental wellness
workers.
(2) Additional dissemination of technical assistance.--The
information and resources provided by the Secretary of Health
and Human Resources under paragraph (1) shall, as appropriate,
be made available to States, political subdivisions of States,
Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations (as defined in section 4
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(25 U.S.C. 5304)), outpatient and inpatient substance use
treatment providers, other community-based behavioral health
organizations, and other entities as the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary
of Health and Human Services shall give priority to eligible entities
that are--
(1) in a neighborhood with poverty and unemployment rates
that exceed the average in the United States;
(2) in a medically underserved community;
(3) in a neighborhood with substance use rates that exceed
the average in the United States; or
(4) serving communities with rates of individuals who are
dually eligible for both the Medicare program under title XVIII
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) and the
Medicaid program under title XIX of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et
seq.) that exceed the average in the United States.
(e) Report.--
(1) Submission.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress--
(A) not later than one year after the date of
enactment of this Act, an interim report on the results
of the grant program under this section; and
(B) not later than the end of fiscal year 2029, a
final report of such results.
(2) Contents.--The reports required by paragraph (1) shall
each include--
(A) the total number of community mental wellness
workers participating in the grant program under this
section; and
(B) the total number of community mental wellness
workers who obtained certification through such
participation.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``community mental wellness worker'' means an
individual trained and certified by an eligible entity to
assist with providing basic screening and evidence-based
treatments to persons with a mild to moderate mental health or
substance use disorder, including depression, anxiety, post-
traumatic stress disorder, and alcohol use disorder.
(2) The term ``culturally and linguistically competent''
means acknowledging and responsive to cultural differences that
might derive from characteristics including--
(A) gender;
(B) sex;
(C) sexual orientation;
(D) race or ethnicity;
(E) nationality;
(F) socioeconomic level;
(G) immigration status;
(H) disability;
(I) Tribal affiliation; and
(J) veteran status.
(3) The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a certified community behavioral health clinic
(as described in section 223(a) of the Protecting
Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (42 U.S.C. 1396a note));
(B) a community mental health center (as described
in section 1913(c) of the Public Health Services Act
(42 U.S.C. 300x-2(c));
(C) a hospital that is described in section 501(c)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from
tax under section 501(a) of such Code; and
(D) such other community behavioral health
organizations as the Secretary may specify, in
consultation with--
(i) State authorities responsible for
regulating substance use and mental health
providers and facilities identified in an
approved State plan or waiver under section
1115 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1315) or under section 1915 of such Act (42
U.S.C. 1396n); and
(ii) other State substance abuse and mental
health agencies.
(4) The term ``medically underserved community'' has the
meaning given to such term in section 799B of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295b).
(g) Funding.--
(1) Authorization of appropriations.--To carry out this
Act, there are authorized to appropriated $25,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
(2) Allocation.--Of the funds authorized to be
appropriation to carry out this section for a fiscal year,
$5,000,000 shall be for the provision of training and technical
assistance under subsection (c).
SEC. 3. MALPRACTICE AND NEGLIGENCE SUITS AGAINST COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH CLINIC AND COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS.
(a) In General.--Except as inconsistent with this subsection, the
provisions of section 224 of the Public Health Service Act, (42 U.S.C.
233), including subsections (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), and (l), shall
apply with respect to an entity described in subsection (b) of this
section, and any officer, governing board member, employee, or
contractor described in subsection (c) of this section, to the same
extent and in the same manner as such provisions apply with respect to
an entity described in subsection (g)(4) of such section 224, and any
officer, governing board member, employee, or contractor of such an
entity.
(b) Described Entities.--An entity described in this paragraph is
an entity that--
(1) is an eligible entity (as defined in section 2(f)(3));
and
(2) is in receipt of a grant under section 2.
(c) Described Officers, Governing Board Members, Employees, and
Contractors.--An officer, governing board member, employee, or
contractor is described in this subsection if the person--
(1) is--
(A) an officer, governing board member, or employee
of an entity described in subsection (b); or
(B) a contractor of such an entity who is a
physician or other licensed or certified health care
practitioner; and
(2) is participating in the entity's program funded through
a grant under section 2, as indicated in a list submitted
pursuant to subsection (d).
(d) List Required.--Each entity described in subsection (b) shall
submit to the Secretary, and update as necessary, a list of each
officer, governing board member, employee, or contractor participating
in the entity's program funded through a grant under section 2.
(e) Period of Applicability.--This subsection applies with respect
to an entity described in subsection (b), and any officer, governing
board member, employee, or contractor described in subsection (c), only
with respect to acts and omissions occurring during the period of the
grant referred to in subsection (b)(2).
(f) Delayed Applicability.--This subsection applies beginning with
respect to fiscal year 2025.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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