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[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 610 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 610

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
     To address behavioral health and well-being among health care 
                             professionals.

    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 ``Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider 
Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES.

    The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this Act 
as the ``Secretary'') shall identify and disseminate evidence-based or 
evidence-informed best practices for preventing suicide and improving 
mental health and resiliency among health care professionals, and for 
training health care professionals in appropriate strategies to promote 
their mental health. Such best practices shall include recommendations 
related to preventing suicide and improving mental health and 
resiliency among health care professionals.

SEC. 3. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS INITIATIVE ENCOURAGING USE OF MENTAL 
              HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES BY HEALTH CARE 
              PROFESSIONALS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with relevant 
stakeholders, including medical professional associations, shall 
establish a national evidence-based or evidence-informed education and 
awareness initiative to encourage health care professionals to seek 
support and care for their mental health or substance use concerns, to 
help such professionals identify risk factors associated with suicide 
and mental health conditions, and to help such professionals learn how 
best to respond to such risks, with the goal of preventing suicide, 
mental health conditions, and substance use disorders, and to address 
stigma associated with seeking mental health and substance use disorder 
services.
    (b) Reporting.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives an update on the 
activities and outcomes of the initiative under subsection (a), 
including a description of quantitative and qualitative metrics used to 
evaluate such activities and outcomes.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2024.

SEC. 4. GRANTS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL 
              WORKFORCE.

    Subpart I of part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C.. 294n et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``SEC. 764. GRANTS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE HEALTH 
              PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants related to 
improving mental health and resiliency among health care professionals.
    ``(b) Grants to Promote Mental Health Among Health Care 
Professionals.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to 
        health care entities, including entities that provide health 
        care services, such as hospitals, community health centers, and 
        rural health clinics, or to medical professional associations, 
        to establish or enhance evidence-based or evidence-informed 
        programs dedicated to improving mental health and resiliency 
        for health care professionals.
            ``(2) Use of funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant 
        under this subsection shall use amounts under the grant to 
        implement a new program or enhance an existing program to 
        promote mental health among health care professionals, which 
        may include--
                    ``(A) improving awareness among health care 
                professionals about risk factors for, and signs of, 
                suicide and mental health or substance use disorders, 
                in accordance with evidence-based or evidence-informed 
                practices;
                    ``(B) establishing new, or enhancing existing, 
                evidence-based or evidence-informed programs for 
                preventing suicide and improving mental health and 
                resiliency among health care professionals;
                    ``(C) establishing new, or enhancing existing, 
                peer-support programs among health care professionals; 
                or
                    ``(D) providing mental health care, follow-up 
                services and care, or referral for such services and 
                care, as appropriate.
            ``(3) Priority.--In awarding grants under this subsection, 
        the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities in 
        health professional shortage areas or rural areas.
    ``(c) Training Grants.--The Secretary may establish a program to 
award grants to health professions schools, academic health centers, 
State or local governments, Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations, or 
other appropriate public or private nonprofit entities (or consortia of 
entities, including entities promoting multidisciplinary approaches) to 
support the training of health care students, residents, or health care 
professionals in evidence-based or evidence-informed strategies to 
address mental and substance use disorders and improve mental health 
and resiliency among health care professionals.
    ``(d) Grant Terms.--A grant awarded under subsection (b) or (c) 
shall be for a period of 3 years.
    ``(e) Application Submission.--An entity seeking a grant under 
subsection (b) or (c) shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may require.
    ``(f) Reporting.--An entity awarded a grant under subsection (b) or 
(c) shall periodically submit to the Secretary a report evaluating the 
activities supported by the grant.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section 
and section 5 of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection 
Act, there are authorized to be appropriated $35,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2022 through 2024.''.

SEC. 5. REVIEW WITH RESPECT TO HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH 
              AND RESILIENCY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with relevant 
stakeholders, shall conduct a review and, not later than 3 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, submit a report to Congress related 
to improving health care professional mental health and resiliency and 
the outcomes of programs authorized under this Act.
    (b) Considerations.--The review under subsection (a) shall take 
into account--
            (1) the prevalence and severity of mental health conditions 
        among health professionals, and factors that contribute to 
        those mental health conditions;
            (2) barriers to seeking and accessing mental health care 
        for health care professionals, which may include consideration 
        of stigma and licensing concerns, and actions taken by State 
        licensing boards, schools for health professionals, health care 
        professional training associations, hospital associations, or 
        other organizations, as appropriate, to address such barriers;
            (3) the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency on 
        the mental health of health care professionals and lessons 
        learned for future public health emergencies;
            (4) factors that promote mental health and resiliency among 
        health care professionals, including programs or strategies to 
        strengthen mental health and resiliency among health care 
        professionals; and
            (5) the efficacy of health professional training programs 
        that promote resiliency and improve mental health.
    (c) Recommendations.--The review under subsection (a), as 
appropriate, shall identify best practices related to, and make 
recommendations to address--
            (1) improving mental health and resiliency among health 
        care professionals;
            (2) removing barriers to mental health care for health care 
        professionals; and
            (3) strategies to promote resiliency among health care 
        professionals in health care settings.

SEC. 6. GAO REPORT.

    Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall report to Congress on 
the extent to which Federal substance use disorder and mental health 
grant programs address the prevalence and severity of mental health 
conditions and substance use disorders among health professionals. Such 
report shall include an analysis of available evidence and data related 
to such conditions and programs, and shall assess whether there are 
duplicative goals and objectives among such grant programs.

            Passed the Senate August 6 (legislative day, August 5), 
      2021.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
117th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                 S. 610

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

     To address behavioral health and well-being among health care 
                             professionals.
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