I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7808 

To amend title XIX of the Public Health Service Act to provide for prevention 

and early intervention services under the Block Grants for Community 

Mental Health Services program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 22, 2024 

Mr. PFLUGER (for himself, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania, and Mr. SARBANES) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To amend title XIX of the Public Health Service Act to 

provide for prevention and early intervention services 

under the Block Grants for Community Mental Health 

Services program, 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 ‘‘Early Action and Re5 sponsiveness Lifts Youth Minds Act’’ or the ‘‘EARLY 

6 Minds Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. EARLY INTERVENTION. 

2 (a) STATE PLAN OPTION.—Section 

3 1912(b)(1)(A)(vii) of the Public Health Service Act (42 

4 U.S.C. 300x–1(b)(1)(A)(vii)) is amended— 

5 (1) in subclause (III), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

6 end; 

7 (2) in subclause (IV), by striking the period at 

8 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

9 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(V) a description of any evidence-based 

11 prevention and early intervention strategies and 

12 programs the State provides to prevent, delay, 

13 or reduce the severity and onset of mental ill14 ness and behavioral problems, including for 

15 children and adolescents, irrespective of experi16 encing a serious mental illness or serious emo17 tional disturbance, as defined under subsection 

18 (c)(1).’’. 

19 (b) ALLOCATION ALLOWANCE; REPORTS.—Section 

20 1920 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x– 

21 9) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

22 ‘‘(e) PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION SERV23 ICES.—In the case of a State with a State plan that pro24 vides for strategies and programs specified in section 

25 1912(b)(1)(A)(vii)(V), such State may expend not more 

26 than 5 percent of the amount of the allotment of the State 


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1 pursuant to a funding agreement under section 1911 for 

2 each fiscal year to support such strategies and programs. 

3 ‘‘(f) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Not later than Sep4 tember 30, 2025, and biennially thereafter, the Secretary 

5 shall provide a report to the Congress on the prevention 

6 and early intervention strategies and programs pursued by 

7 States pursuant to subsections (e). Each such report shall 

8 include— 

9 ‘‘(1) a list of the States that utilized the option 

10 to provide prevention and early intervention services; 

11 ‘‘(2) a description of the each State’s preven12 tion and early intervention activities; 

13 ‘‘(3) the population served, including informa14 tion on demographics, including age; 

15 ‘‘(4) the outcomes of such activities, includ16 ing— 

17 ‘‘(A) how such activities reduced delays in 

18 access to mental and behavioral health care for 

19 children and adults; and 

20 ‘‘(B) how such activities reduced the sever21 ity of onset of serious mental illness and serious 

22 emotional disturbance; and 

23 ‘‘(5) any other relevant information the Sec24 retary deems necessary.’’. 

Æ 


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