SUPPORT Act

To provide for mental health and substance use disorder services in response to public health emergencies, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Securing Uninterrupted Pandemic Preparation Of Resources and Therapies Act SUPPORT Act 2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration services in response to public health emergencies (a) Authorities Section 501(d) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290aa(d) (1) by redesignating paragraphs (24) and (25) as paragraphs (25) and (26), respectively; and (2) by inserting after paragraph (23) the following: (24) support the continued access to, or availability of, mental health and substance use disorder services during, or in response to, a public health emergency declared under section 319, including in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, as appropriate, in preparing for, and responding to, a public health emergency; . (b) Strategic plan Section 501(l)(4) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290aa(l)(4) (1) in subparagraph (E), by striking and (2) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period and inserting ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (G) specify a strategy to support the continued access to, or availability of, mental health and substance use disorder services, including to at-risk individuals (as defined in section 2802(b)(4)), during, or in response to, public health emergencies declared pursuant to section 319. . (c) Biennial report concerning activities and progress Section 501(m) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290aa(m) (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (7) as paragraphs (5) through (8), respectively; (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: (4) a description of the Administration’s activities to support the continued provision of mental health and substance use disorder services, as applicable, in response to public health emergencies declared pursuant to section 319; ; and (3) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated— (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) and (E) as subparagraphs (E) and (F), respectively; and (B) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following: (D) relevant preparedness and response activities; . (d) Advisory councils Not later than one year after the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use shall issue a report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, reflecting the feedback of the advisory councils for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, and the Center for Mental Health Services, pursuant to section 502 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290aa–1 42 U.S.C. 247d 42 U.S.C. 300hh et seq. (e) GAO report Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on programs and activities of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to support the continued provision of mental health and substance use disorder services and related activities during the COVID–19 pandemic, including the provision of such services as part of the medical and public health response to such pandemic. Such report shall— (1) examine the role played by the advisory councils described in section 502 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290aa–1 42 U.S.C. 290aa–0 42 U.S.C. 247d (2) describe the manner in which existing awardees of mental health and substance use disorder programs altered delivery of services during such public health emergency; and (3) describe activities of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to support the response to such public health emergency, including through technical assistance, provision of services, and any flexibilities provided to such existing awardees.

Summary: Securing Uninterrupted Pandemic Preparation Of Resources and Therapies Act or the SUPPORT Act This bill expressly incorporates the provision of mental health and substance use disorder services during public health emergencies into the authorities and other activities of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Additionally, SAMHSA must report to Congress about recommendations to improve the provision of such services during public health emergencies. The Government Accountability Office must also report on SAMHSA's programs and activities for supporting the provision of such services during the COVID-19 pandemic.