I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8141 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to reduce health inequities experienced by individuals who are members of historically racial and ethnic 

minority groups under State plans under the community mental health 

services block grant program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 

Mr. CA ́RDENAS (for himself and Ms. JOHNSON of Texas) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to reduce health 

inequities experienced by individuals who are members 

of historically racial and ethnic minority groups under 

State plans under the community mental health services 

block grant 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 ‘‘Strengthening Mental 

5 Health Supports for BIPOC Communities Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. REDUCING HEALTH INEQUITIES EXPERIENCED BY 

2 HISTORICALLY RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORI3 TIES UNDER STATE PLANS UNDER COMMU4 NITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES BLOCK 

5 GRANT PROGRAM. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1942(a) of the Public 

7 Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x–52(a)) is amended— 

8 (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para9 graph (5); and 

10 (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol11 lowing: 

12 ‘‘(2) services provided by the State to adults 

13 with a serious mental illness and children with a se14 rious emotional disturbance who are members of his15 torically racial and ethnic minority groups, includ16 ing— 

17 ‘‘(A) the extent to which such services are 

18 provided to such adults and children; and 

19 ‘‘(B) the outcomes experienced by such 

20 adults and children as a result of the provision 

21 of such services, including with respect to— 

22 ‘‘(i) diversions from hospitalization 

23 and criminal justice system involvement; 

24 ‘‘(ii) treatment for first episode psy25 chosis or undefined psychosis; 


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1 ‘‘(iii) reductions in suicide and in2 creased utilization of appropriate treat3 ments and interventions for suicidal idea4 tion; 

5 ‘‘(iv) response through crisis services, 

6 including mobile crisis services; 

7 ‘‘(v) treatment of individuals who are 

8 experiencing homelessness or housing inse9 curity and individuals residing in rural 

10 communities; and 

11 ‘‘(vi) increased patient family and/or 

12 caregiver engagement and education on se13 rious mental illness to reduce social stigma 

14 and promote healthy social support for pa15 tients; 

16 ‘‘(3) any outreach by the State to, and the hir17 ing of, providers from multiple disciplines (such as 

18 a psychologist, psychiatrist, peer support provider, 

19 social worker) of mental health services who are 

20 members of historically racial and ethnic minority 

21 groups; 

22 ‘‘(4) any outreach by the State to providers 

23 from multiple disciplines of mental health services— 


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1 ‘‘(A) to provide training on culturally ef2 fective, culturally affirming, and linguistically 

3 competent services; and 

4 ‘‘(B) to increase awareness of community5 defined practices by practitioners of historically 

6 racial and ethnic minority groups; and’’. 

7 (b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by sub8 section (a) shall apply with respect to funding agreements 

9 entered into under section 1911 or 1921 of the Public 

10 Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x; 42 U.S.C. 300x–21) 

11 on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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