Bill Summary
The Coronavirus Mental Health and Addiction Assistance Act of 2020 aims to establish a network that provides programs for individuals managing mental health and substance use disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will make competitive grants to eligible entities to implement these programs, which can include telephone helplines, training, support groups, and telehealth services. The bill also allocates $100 million to fund these efforts and requires a report on the success of the network and how to improve coordination with other federal health departments. The report will also evaluate the impact of mental health and substance use disorder challenges on the health care workforce and community resilience during the pandemic.
Possible Impacts
1. The Coronavirus Mental Health and Addiction Assistance Act of 2020 could provide resources and support for individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. This could greatly benefit those who may have limited access to mental health services or have experienced increased stress and anxiety due to the pandemic.
2. The Act could also impact healthcare providers, as it requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to improve coordination and cooperation with other federal health departments and agencies. This could potentially improve the overall quality of care for those seeking mental health and substance use disorder treatment during the pandemic.
3. The report required under the Act could shed light on the challenges faced by individuals seeking to manage mental health and substance use disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. This could help inform future legislation and policies aimed at addressing these challenges and improving mental health outcomes.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6999 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6999
To establish the Coronavirus Mental Health and Addiction Assistance
Network, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 22, 2020
Mr. Ryan (for himself and Mr. Katko) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in
addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Coronavirus Mental Health and Addiction Assistance
Network, 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 ``Coronavirus Mental Health and
Addiction Assistance Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. CORONAVIRUS MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION ASSISTANCE NETWORK.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary''), acting through the
Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall make
competitive grants to eligible entities described in subsection (c) to
establish a Coronavirus Mental Health and Addiction Assistance Network
that provides programs for assisting individuals in managing mental
health and substance use disorders during or in connection to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
(b) Eligible Programs.--Grants awarded under subsection (a) may be
used--
(1) to initiate, expand, or sustain programs that provide
professional mental health and substance use disorder
counseling and referral for other forms of assistance as
necessary to assist in the management of mental health and
substance use disorders during or in connection to the COVID-19
pandemic, through--
(A) telephone helplines and websites;
(B) training, including training programs and
workshops;
(C) support groups;
(D) outreach and support activities, including the
dissemination of information, materials, and equipment
to clients for remote access to mental health and
substance use disorder services; and
(E) telehealth services; or
(2) to enter into contracts, on a multiyear basis, with
community-based, direct-service organizations to initiate,
expand, or sustain programs described in paragraph (1) and
subsection (a).
(c) Eligible Entities.--The Secretary may award a grant under this
section to an entity that provides evidence-based services and is--
(1) an Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
5304)) or an urban Indian organization (as defined in section 4
of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603));
(2) a qualified nonprofit organization, as determined by
the Secretary;
(3) an entity providing appropriate services, as determined
by the Secretary, in 1 or more States; or
(4) a partnership carried out by 2 or more entities
described in any of paragraphs (1) through (3).
(d) Funding.--
(1) In general.--There is appropriated, out of amounts in
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $100,000,000, for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, to remain available
until expended, or until the date that is 1 year after the
conclusion of the public health emergency declared by the
Secretary under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 247d) on January 30, 2020, with respect to COVID-19,
whichever is earlier, for the purpose of carrying out this
section.
(2) Emergency designation.--
(A) In general.--The amounts provided by paragraph
(1) are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant
to section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of
2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)).
(B) Designation in senate.--In the Senate, this
subsection is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for
fiscal year 2018.
(e) Report to Congress, Agencies, and Public.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the amount
appropriated under subsection (d) is no longer available, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress and any other relevant
Federal department or agency, and make publicly available, a
report describing the success of the Coronavirus Mental Health
and Addiction Assistance Network under this section in
assisting in managing mental health and substance use disorders
during or in connection to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2) Contents.--The report under paragraph (1) shall
include--
(A) an inventory and assessment of efforts, to
support individuals seeking to manage mental health and
substance use disorders during or in connection to the
COVID-19 pandemic, by--
(i) the Federal Government, States, and
units of local government;
(ii) communities comprised of individuals
seeking to manage mental health and substance
use disorders during or in connection to the
COVID-19 pandemic;
(iii) health care providers; and
(iv) other appropriate entities, as
determined by the Secretary;
(B) a description of the challenges faced by
individuals seeking to manage mental health and
substance use disorders during or in connection to the
COVID-19 pandemic;
(C) a description of how the Secretary can improve
coordination and cooperation with other Federal health
departments and agencies, including other subagencies
of the Department of Health and Human Services such as
the Health Resources and Services Administration, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the
National Institutes of Health, to best address the
mental health and substance use disorders of
individuals who are seeking to manage mental health and
substance use disorders during or in connection to the
COVID-19 pandemic; and
(D) an evaluation of the impact that mental health
and substance use disorder challenges and health
outcomes (including suicide) experienced during or in
connection to the COVID-19 pandemic have on--
(i) the health care workforce and
occupations related to pandemic preparedness
and response;
(ii) workforce readiness in new occupations
for employees whose jobs became obsolete; and
(iii) community resilience.
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