I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2046 

To provide for a report on best practices for peer-support specialist programs, 

to authorize grants for behavioral health paraprofessional training and 

education, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 6, 2017 

Mr. BEN RAY LUJA ́N of New Mexico (for himself, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. CLARKE

of New York, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, and Mr. LOEBSACK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To provide for a report on best practices for peer-support 

specialist programs, to authorize grants for behavioral 

health paraprofessional training and education, 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 ‘‘Peer-Support Spe5 cialist Act of 2017’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. REPORT ON BEST PRACTICES FOR PEER-SUPPORT 

2 SPECIALIST PROGRAMS, TRAINING, AND CER3 TIFICATION. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 

5 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and 

6 Human Services shall submit to the Congress and make 

7 publicly available a report on best practices and profes8 sional standards in States for— 

9 (1) establishing and operating health care pro10 grams using peer-support specialists; and 

11 (2) training and certifying peer-support special12 ists. 

13 (b) PEER-SUPPORT SPECIALIST DEFINED.—In this 

14 subsection, the term ‘‘peer-support specialist’’ means an 

15 individual who— 

16 (1)(A) uses his or her lived experience of recov17 ery from mental illness or a substance use disorder, 

18 plus skills learned in formal training, to facilitate 

19 support groups, and to work on a one-on-one basis, 

20 with individuals with a serious mental illness or a 

21 substance use disorder; 

22 (B) has benefitted or is benefitting from mental 

23 health or substance use treatment services or sup24 ports; 

25 (C) provides non-medical services; and 


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1 (D) performs services only within his or her 

2 area of training, expertise, competence, or scope of 

3 practice; 

4 (2)(A) uses his or her lived experience as the 

5 parent or caregiver of an individual with mental ill6 ness or a substance use disorder, plus skills learned 

7 in formal training, to facilitate support groups, and 

8 to work on a one-on-one basis, with individuals with 

9 a serious mental illness or a substance use disorder; 

10 (B) provides non-medical services; and 

11 (C) performs services only within his or her 

12 area of training, expertise, competence, or scope of 

13 practice; or 

14 (3) otherwise meets criteria specified by the 

15 Secretary of Health and Human Services for defin16 ing a peer-support specialist. 

17 (c) CONTENTS.—The report under this subsection 

18 shall include information on best practices and standards 

19 with regard to the following: 

20 (1) Hours of formal work or volunteer experi21 ence related to mental health and substance use 

22 issues. 

23 (2) Types of peer support specialists used by 

24 different health care programs. 

25 (3) Types of peer specialist exams required. 


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1 (4) Code of ethics. 

2 (5) Additional training required prior to certifi3 cation, including in areas such as— 

4 (A) ethics; 

5 (B) scope of practice; 

6 (C) crisis intervention; 

7 (D) State confidentiality laws; 

8 (E) Federal privacy protections, including 

9 under the Health Insurance Portability and Ac10 countability Act of 1996; and 

11 (F) other areas as determined by the Sec12 retary of Health and Human Services. 

13 (6) Requirements to explain what, where, when, 

14 and how to accurately complete all required docu15 mentation activities. 

16 (7) Required or recommended skill sets, such as 

17 knowledge of— 

18 (A) risk indicators, including individual 

19 stressors, triggers, and indicators of escalating 

20 symptoms; 

21 (B) basic de-escalation techniques; 

22 (C) basic suicide prevention concepts and 

23 techniques; 

24 (D) identifying and responding to trauma; 

25 (E) stages of change or recovery; 


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1 (F) the typical process that should be fol2 lowed to access or participate in community 

3 mental health and related services; 

4 (G) effectively working in care teams and 

5 facilitating the coordination of services; and 

6 (H) supporting individuals in meeting the 

7 consumer’s recovery goals. 

8 (8) Requirements for continuing education. 

9 SEC. 3. PEER PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 

10 GRANT PROGRAM. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—For the purposes described in 

12 subsection (b), the Secretary of Health and Human Serv13 ices shall award grants to develop and sustain behavioral 

14 health paraprofessional training and education programs, 

15 including through tuition support. 

16 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of grants under this 

17 section are— 

18 (1) to increase the number of behavioral health 

19 paraprofessionals, including trained peers, recovery 

20 coaches, mental health and addiction specialists, pre21 vention specialists, and pre-masters-level addiction 

22 counselors; and 

23 (2) to help communities develop the infrastruc24 ture to train and certify peers as behavioral health 


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1 paraprofessionals, including necessary internship 

2 hours for credentialing. 

3 (c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive a 

4 grant under this section, an entity shall be a community 

5 college, training or credentialing program, or other entity 

6 the Secretary of Health and Human Services deems ap7 propriate. 

8 (d) GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.—In awarding 

9 grants under this section, the Secretary of Health and 

10 Human Services shall seek to achieve an appropriate na11 tional balance in the geographic distribution of such 

12 awards. 

13 (e) SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.—In awarding grants 

14 under this section, the Secretary of Health and Human 

15 Services may give special consideration to proposed and 

16 existing programs targeting peer professionals serving 

17 youth ages 16 to 25. 

18 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 

19 out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 

20 $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022. 

Æ 


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