I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1544 

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 

the Director of the Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance 

Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to award grants to 

facilitate the funding of community-based mental health and substance 

use disorder services and peer support programs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 3, 2021 

Mr. CA ́RDENAS (for himself and Mr. TONKO) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 

acting through the Director of the Center for Mental 

Health Services of the Substance Abuse and Mental 

Health Services Administration, to award grants to facilitate the funding of community-based mental health and 

substance use disorder services and peer support programs, 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 ‘‘Virtual Community 

5 Support Act of 2021’’. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1544 IH

1 SEC. 2. GRANT FOR COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH 

2 AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES 

3 AND PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 15 days after the 

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

6 and Human Services, acting through the Director of the 

7 Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance Abuse 

8 and Mental Health Services Administration, shall estab9 lish a program (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Program’’) 

10 to facilitate the funding of community-based mental health 

11 and substance use disorder services and peer support pro12 grams. 

13 (b) GRANT AUTHORITY.—In carrying out the Pro14 gram, the Secretary shall award a grant in accordance 

15 with this section. 

16 (c) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS.—The Secretary may 

17 award a grant under the Program to an eligible recipient 

18 determined by the Secretary to be authorized and capable 

19 of carrying out a project described in subsection (d). 

20 (d) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—Grant funds awarded 

21 under the Program may be used to— 

22 (1) identify and coordinate care between pro23 grams that provide access to community-based men24 tal health and substance use disorder services for ju25 veniles and assist in the coordination of such serv26 ices; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1544 IH

1 (2) identify and coordinate care between pro2 grams that provide access to community-based men3 tal health and substance use disorder services for 

4 adults and assist in the coordination of such serv5 ices; 

6 (3) obtain technology required to provide a 

7 community-based mental health and substance use 

8 disorder services virtually; 

9 (4) compensate a healthcare provider or a peer 

10 specialist for the provision of community-based men11 tal health and substance use disorder services; 

12 (5) provide education assistance to an indi13 vidual seeking certification as a peer specialist; 

14 (6) provide for workforce development, recruit15 ment, and retention activities, to train, recruit, and 

16 retain peer specialists; 

17 (7) transition a network of in-person, peer spe18 cialist facilitated behavioral health support services 

19 to a virtual platform for such behavioral health sup20 port services; or 

21 (8) expand or improve virtual, peer specialist 

22 facilitated behavioral health support services carried 

23 out by the entity prior to the date of enactment of 

24 this section. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1544 IH

1 (e) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 

2 the Program, an eligible recipient shall submit to the Sec3 retary an application in such form, at such time, and con4 taining such information as the Secretary determines to 

5 be appropriate. 

6 (f) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 15 days after the 

7 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue 

8 guidance on the requirements an eligible recipient shall 

9 take to provide community-based mental health and sub10 stance use disorder services. 

11 (g) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Federal funds 

12 paid to an eligible recipient pursuant to the Program must 

13 be used to supplement, but not supplant, any other Fed14 eral, State, or local funds available to such eligible recipi15 ent. 

16 (h) REPORT.— 

17 (1) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than 90 days 

18 after the date on which funds are distributed under 

19 the Program, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 

20 a report on the Program that includes— 

21 (A) the number of grants awarded under 

22 the Program; 

23 (B) the location of each grant awarded 

24 under the Program; and 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 1544 IH

1 (C) the amount requested and amount 

2 awarded for each grant under the Program. 

3 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the 

4 end of the COVID-19 emergency period, the Sec5 retary shall submit to Congress a report on the Pro6 gram that includes— 

7 (A) the number of grants awarded under 

8 the Program; 

9 (B) the location of each grant awarded 

10 under the Program; and 

11 (C) the amount requested and amount 

12 awarded for each grant under the Program. 

13 (3) PUBLICATION REQUIREMENT.—On the date 

14 on which a report is submitted under paragraphs (1) 

15 or (2), the Secretary shall publish such report sub16 mitted on the website of the Department of Health 

17 and Human Services. 

18 (i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

19 authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Program— 

20 (1) during the COVID-19 emergency period, 

21 such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal 

22 years such emergency period is ongoing; and 

23 (2) after the COVID-19 emergency period, 

24 $5,000,000 for each of the five fiscal years beginVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:31 Apr 19, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1544.IH H1544

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 1544 IH

1 ning after the termination of the COVID-19 emer2 gency period. 

3 (j) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 (1) COVID-19 EMERGENCY PERIOD.—The term 

5 ‘‘COVID-19 emergency period’’ means the public 

6 health emergency declared by the Secretary of 

7 Health and Human Services on January 27, 2020, 

8 with respect to the 2019 novel coronavirus. 

9 (2) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENT.—The term ‘‘eligible 

10 recipient’’ means— 

11 (A) a department of health or a depart12 ment of public health, in coordination with a 

13 State; 

14 (B) a behavioral health program that pri15 marily serves individuals with mental health or 

16 substance abuse disorders; 

17 (C) community-based nonprofit, that is a 

18 consumer-controlled and is certified in accord19 ance with applicable State law to deliver peer 

20 specialist support services at a State or local 

21 level; or 

22 (D) an institution of higher education pro23 viding service learning and civic-engagement 

24 courses for peer specialist training. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 1544 IH

1 (3) HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.—The term 

2 ‘‘healthcare provider’’ mean a certified provider who 

3 provides behavioral health services. 

4 (4) PEER SPECIALIST.—The term ‘‘peer spe5 cialist’’ includes— 

6 (A) a certified peer specialist; 

7 (B) a peer recovery support specialist; and 

8 (C) a recovery coach for behavioral health. 

9 (5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means a State 

10 of the United States, the District of Columbia, or 

11 any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the 

12 United States, or an Indian tribe. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS