II 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3176 

To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 

Act to authorize the President to provide mental health and substance 

abuse services. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 23, 2008 

Mr. REID (for Ms. LANDRIEU) introduced the following bill; which was read 

twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide mental health and substance abuse services. 

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 ‘‘Disaster Recovery Sub5 stance Abuse Mental Health Treatment Act of 2008’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act— 


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•S 3176 IS

1 (1) the term ‘‘emergency response provider’’ 

2 has the meaning given that term in section 2 of the 

3 Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101); and 

4 (2) the term ‘‘major disaster’’ has the meaning 

5 given that term in section 102 of the Robert T. 

6 Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 

7 Act (42 U.S.C. 5122). 

8 SEC. 3. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERV9 ICES. 

10 (a) AUTHORITY.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—Title IV of the Robert T. 

12 Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 

13 Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.) is amended by striking 

14 section 416 and inserting the following: 

15 ‘‘SEC. 416. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERV16 ICES. 

17 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The President may provide men18 tal health and substance abuse services, including crisis 

19 counseling, mental health treatment referrals, and in se20 vere cases, mental health and substance abuse treatment 

21 (including medication and medication management) to in22 dividuals affected by a major disaster (including children 

23 and other vulnerable populations, and emergency response 

24 providers (as that term is defined in section 2 of the 

25 Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101)) respondVerDate Aug 31 2005 02:52 Jun 24, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3176.IS S3176

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1 ing to a major disaster) to relieve or prevent mental health 

2 or substance abuse problems caused or aggravated by that 

3 major disaster or its aftermath. 

4 ‘‘(b) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—The assistance pro5 vided under subsection (a) may include providing financial 

6 assistance to Federal, State, or local government agencies, 

7 public or private mental health or substance abuse organi8 zations, or mental health providers to provide mental 

9 health or substance abuse services or train individuals to 

10 provide such services. 

11 ‘‘(c) DURATION OF ASSISTANCE.— 

12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The President may provide 

13 financial assistance under this section relating to a 

14 particular major disaster to a Federal, State, or 

15 local government agency or a public or private men16 tal health or substance abuse organization for a pe17 riod of not longer than 18 months. 

18 ‘‘(2) EXTENSION.—In limited circumstances, 

19 such as a catastrophic incident (as that term is de20 fined in section 501 of the Homeland Security Act 

21 of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 311), the President may extend 

22 the period of financial assistance under this section 

23 if the President determines that the extension is in 

24 the public interest.’’. 


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1 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 

2 by this subsection shall apply to any major disaster 

3 declared by the President on or after August 29, 

4 2005. 

5 (b) RESPONSE PLAN.—Not later than 180 days after 

6 the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of 

7 the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Admin8 istration and the head of any other Federal agency that 

9 provides mental health or substance abuse services, in co10 ordination with the Administrator of the Federal Emer11 gency Management Agency and State and local govern12 ment officials with responsibilities for providing mental 

13 health or substance abuse prevention and services, shall— 

14 (1) conduct a survey of mental health services 

15 and substance abuse services; and 

16 (2) develop a strategy for the adequate provi17 sion of mental health and substance abuse services 

18 to individuals affected by major disasters and to 

19 emergency response providers responding to major 

20 disasters. 

21 (c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

22 Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

23 Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.) is 

24 amended by redesignating section 425 (relating to essen25 tial service providers), as added by section 601 of the 


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1 SAFE Port Act (Public Law 109–347; 120 Stat. 1941), 

2 as section 427. 

Æ 


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