PARTNERS Act

To establish a centralized network of peer support warmlines, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Peer Assisted Relief Through Networks of Empathetic Resources and Supports Act of 2020 PARTNERS Act 2. National peer support warmline program Subpart 3 of part B of title V of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290bb–31 520N. National peer support warmline program (a) In general The Assistant Secretary shall establish and maintain a centralized network of peer support warmlines to— (1) provide accessible resources to individuals seeking mental health support by— (A) establishing and maintaining a single, toll-free telephone number through which individuals throughout the United States may access such peer support warmlines; and (B) coordinating the operation of the telephone number established under subparagraph (A) with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline; and (2) establish best practices for the operation of peer support warmlines. (b) Centers of excellence (1) Establishment In carrying out the program under this section, not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this section, the Assistant Secretary shall award a grant to, or enter into a cooperative agreement with, not less than 4 and not more than 5 entities. (2) Eligible uses An entity receiving a grant or entering into a cooperative agreement under this section shall— (A) for any such entity not operating a peer support warmline as of the date on which such entity receives a grant or enters into a cooperative agreement, establish and operate a new center of excellence to operate such peer support warmline; or (B) for any such entity operating a peer support warmline that meets the criteria specified in paragraph (3) as of the date on which such entity receives a grant or enters into a cooperative agreement, establish a center of excellence to support and operate such warmline under the program established under subsection (a). (3) Conditions As a condition on the receipt of a grant under this section, the grant recipient— (A) may not use grant funds to remunerate an individual who operates a peer support warmline for the grant recipient unless such individual is an employee of such grant recipient; (B) shall ensure that employees operating the peer support warmline are qualified peer support specialists and experts in peer support services, including the provision of such services using telehealth; (C) shall consider hiring employees who speak a language other than English, including a language relevant to the region in which such grant recipient is located, to operate the peer support warmline; (D) shall require that employees operating the peer support warmline complete— (i) 2 training courses, consisting of at least a 10-hour introductory training course and, within 2 years of employment, a 40-hour advanced training course, that cover topics including— (I) peer support values and practices; (II) active listening skills; (III) structured sharing of personal or shared experiences; and (IV) how to— (aa) connect with an individual using a peer support warmline with compassion; (bb) avoid giving advice or providing psychotherapy-like services to an individual using a peer support warmline; (cc) identify when an individual using a peer support warmline is experiencing an event constituting a suicide emergency and refer such individual to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline; (dd) collaborate with other qualified peer support specialists when an individual using a peer support warmline experiences a mental health or suicide crisis; (ee) refer an individual using a peer support warmline to a community-based peer support organization, other mental health crisis organization, or licensed mental health professional, as appropriate; and (ff) assist an individual who is seeking other peer support services or a referral to mental health services, but refrain from providing any healthcare recommendations; and (V) any other training course that the Assistant Secretary determines is appropriate; and (E) shall implement the best practices for operating peer support warmlines, as identified by the study required under subsection (d). (4) Selection In awarding grants under this section, the Assistant Secretary shall— (A) select grant recipients that are located in different geographic regions of the United States which, collectively, represent the entire United States; and (B) ensure that each grant recipient is responsible for maintaining a peer support warmline that serves the geographic region in which it is located. (5) Timeline for new centers of excellence Any entity described in paragraph (2)(A) shall establish a center of excellence under the program not later than 6 months after the date on which the entity receives a grant under subsection (b). (c) Technical assistance center Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Assistant Secretary shall establish a technical assistance center to— (1) serve as the coordinating body between the centers of excellence; (2) provide technical support to such centers; (3) disseminate to such centers the best practices for operating peer support warmlines, as identified by the study required under subsection (d); and (4) enforce the implementation of such best practices in each center of excellence. (d) Study and report (1) In general Concurrent with the establishment of the centers of excellence created under subsection (b), the Assistant Secretary shall enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academies under which the National Academies agree to conduct a study over a 1-year period to identify the best practices for operating a peer support warmline. (2) Elements The study required under paragraph (1) shall include an assessment of— (A) any peer support warmline program that existed before the date of enactment of this section, as determined appropriate to include in the study by the National Academies; and (B) each of the centers of excellence established pursuant to subsection (b). (3) Report The agreement entered into under paragraph (1) shall include a requirement that the National Academies submit to Congress and to the technical assistance center established under subsection (c) a report identifying the best practices for operating a peer support warmline. (e) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 and $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2024. Of the funds made available under the preceding sentence, the Assistant Secretary shall reserve not less than $1,000,000 for each fiscal year to carry out subsection (c) and not less than $1,500,000 to carry out subsection (d). (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Community-based peer support organization The term community-based peer support organization (A) provides professional mental health peer support services to a community; (B) has been operational for not less than 2 years; and (C) has a staff composed of individuals with lived experiences of mental health challenges and recovery, including qualified peer support specialists. (2) Peer support warmline The term peer support warmline (3) Qualified peer support specialist The term qualified peer support specialist (A) is recovering or has recovered from a mental health or substance use condition; and (B) is certified to provide peer support services by a certification process that— (i) is consistent with the National Practice Guidelines for Peer Supporters published by the National Association of Peer Supporters and the Core Competencies for Peer Workers in Behavioral Health Settings published by the Administration on December 7, 2015; and (ii) is a process that— (I) is a national process that the Assistant Secretary determines is appropriate; or (II) is established by a State in which such individual provides peer support services. .

Summary: Peer Assisted Relief Through Networks of Empathetic Resources and Supports Act of 2020 or the PARTNERS Act This bill directs the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to establish a network of peer support warmlines. Warmlines are telephone or text-based services, typically staffed by individuals who have experienced mental health conditions, that provide early intervention services, referrals, and other resources to those who are seeking mental health support but are not in crisis. To carry out this program, SAMHSA must award grants or cooperative agreements to establish centers of excellence to operate warmlines through a single, toll-free number in coordination with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. SAMHSA must also ensure appropriate geographic distribution of the centers. As a condition of receiving funds, the centers must, among other requirements, ensure that the individuals operating the warmlines are qualified peer support specialists and that they complete relevant training courses. In addition, SAMHSA must establish within 30 days a technical assistance center to disseminate, and enforce the use of, best practices for the operation of warmlines and must provide other support to the centers of excellence. SAMHSA must also enter an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study best practices for warmlines.