II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 631 

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 

the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, to conduct 

or support research on the mental health consequences of SARS–CoV– 

2 or COVID–19, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 9, 2021 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. KAINE) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 

acting through the Director of the National Institute 

of Mental Health, to conduct or support research on 

the mental health consequences of SARS–CoV–2 or 

COVID–19, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘COVID–19 Mental 

5 Health Research Act’’. 


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•S 631 IS

1 SEC. 2. RESEARCH ON THE MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT OF 

2 COVID–19. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 

4 Human Services (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Sec5 retary’’), acting through the Director of the National In6 stitute of Mental Health, shall conduct or support re7 search on the mental health consequences of SARS–CoV– 

8 2 or COVID–19. 

9 (b) USE OF FUNDS.—Research under subsection (a) 

10 may include— 

11 (1) research on the mental health impact of 

12 SARS–CoV–2 or COVID–19 on health care pro13 viders, including— 

14 (A) traumatic stress; 

15 (B) psychological distress; 

16 (C) psychiatric disorders; and 

17 (D) longer-term stress, including burnout; 

18 (2) research on the impact of SARS–CoV–2 or 

19 COVID–19 stressors on mental health over time; 

20 (3) research to strengthen the mental health re21 sponse to SARS–CoV–2 or COVID–19, including 

22 adapting to and maintaining or providing additional 

23 services for new or increasing mental health needs; 

24 (4) research on the reach, efficiency, effective25 ness, and quality of digital mental health interven26 tions; 


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•S 631 IS

1 (5) research on the effectiveness of strategies 

2 for implementation and delivery of evidence-based 

3 mental health interventions and services for under4 served populations; 

5 (6) research on suicide prevention; 

6 (7) research on the impact of SARS–CoV–2 or 

7 COVID–19 on the mental health of specific popu8 lations, including children and adolescents, women, 

9 older adults, individuals with disabilities, and mem10 bers of racial and ethnic minority groups; and 

11 (8) research on the impact of SARS–CoV–2 or 

12 COVID–19 on the mental health of individuals expe13 riencing long-term symptoms or side effects after in14 fection. 

15 (c) RESEARCH COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall 

16 coordinate activities under this section with similar activi17 ties conducted by national research institutes and centers 

18 of the National Institutes of Health to the extent that 

19 such institutes and centers have responsibilities that are 

20 related to the mental health consequences of SARS–CoV– 

21 2 or COVID–19. 

22 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 

23 out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 

24 $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, 

25 to remain available until expended. 


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1 (e) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Amounts made 

2 available to carry out this section shall be used to supple3 ment, and not supplant, other funding made available to 

4 the National Institute of Mental Health. 

Æ 


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