II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4811 

To require guidance to improve access to mental health and substance use 

prevention services for children, adolescents, and young adults. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 25, 2024 

Ms. BUTLER (for herself and Ms. MURKOWSKI) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To require guidance to improve access to mental health and 

substance use prevention services for children, adolescents, and young adults. 

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 ‘‘Prevention Services 

5 for Youth Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. IMPROVING ACCESS TO A CONTINUUM OF PREVEN7 TION SERVICES. 

8 (a) GUIDANCE.—Not later than July 1, 2026, the 

9 Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in 

10 this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’), in coordination with the 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•S 4811 IS

1 Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

2 Services, the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and 

3 Substance Use, the Administrator of the Administration 

4 for Children, Youth, and Families, and the United States 

5 Preventive Services Task Force, shall issue guidance to 

6 States, political subdivisions of States, and Indian Tribes 

7 or Tribal organizations (as such terms are defined in sec8 tion 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education As9 sistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) regarding services pro10 vided under the Medicaid program under title XIX of the 

11 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) and the Chil12 dren’s Health Insurance Program under title XXI of such 

13 Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.) (referred to in this section 

14 as ‘‘CHIP’’) that includes the following: 

15 (1) Provides, in consultation with health care 

16 providers and stakeholders with expertise in mental 

17 health and substance use disorder, recommendations 

18 for an effective continuum of mental health and sub19 stance use disorder prevention services for children, 

20 adolescents, and young adults that— 

21 (A) includes State educational agencies 

22 and local educational agencies (as such terms 

23 are defined in section 8101 of the Elementary 

24 and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 

25 U.S.C. 7801)), juvenile justice settings, behavVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:09 Aug 22, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4811.IS S4811

kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•S 4811 IS

1 ioral health treatment programs, behavioral 

2 health providers, youth development programs, 

3 Tribal organizations (as defined in section 4 of 

4 the Indian Self-Determination and Education 

5 Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) and Urban 

6 Indian organizations (as defined in section 4 of 

7 the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 

8 U.S.C. 1603)), and other entities as the Sec9 retary determines appropriate; and 

10 (B) promotes access to mental health and 

11 substance use disorder prevention services for 

12 children, adolescents, and young adults. 

13 (2) Outlines, but does not limit, the Federal au14 thorities through which States may finance and en15 hance under the Medicaid program and CHIP the 

16 availability of mental health and substance use dis17 order prevention services for children, adolescents, 

18 and young adults. 

19 (3) Identifies how States, through the Medicaid 

20 program and CHIP, may support access to mental 

21 health and substance use disorder prevention serv22 ices that are responsive to the needs of children, 

23 adolescents, young adults, and families, including 

24 through— 

25 (A) health services initiatives of CHIP; 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•S 4811 IS

1 (B) evidence-based peer support services; 

2 (C) adverse childhood experiences mitiga3 tion and early intervention initiatives; and 

4 (D) the involvement of youth in the imple5 mentation and development of such initiatives. 

6 (4) Identifies culturally competent policies and 

7 practices to meet the need for mental health and 

8 substance use disorder prevention services with re9 spect to diverse child, adolescent, and young adult 

10 populations, including urban and rural communities, 

11 racial and ethnic populations, individuals with dis12 abilities, and other populations as the Secretary de13 termines appropriate. 

14 (5) Describes best practices for coordinating 

15 Medicaid and CHIP funding with other payors and 

16 sources of Federal funding for mental health and 

17 substance use disorder prevention services. 

18 (6) Identifies best practices for measuring the 

19 effectiveness of community-based mental health and 

20 substance use disorder prevention services for chil21 dren, adolescents, and young adults. 

22 (b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 

23 provide technical assistance to States under the Medicaid 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
5 

•S 4811 IS

1 program and CHIP for purposes of carrying out activities 

2 pursuant to this section. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB