I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 593 
To establish the Coronavirus Mental Health and Addiction Assistance 
Network, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 28, 2021 
Mr. RYAN (for himself and Mr. KATKO) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To establish the Coronavirus Mental Health and Addiction 
Assistance Network, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coronavirus Mental 
Health and Addiction Assistance Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. CORONAVIRUS MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION 
ASSISTANCE NETWORK. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’), acting through the Assistant Secretary for Men-
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tal Health and Substance Use, shall make competitive 
grants to eligible entities described in subsection (c) to es-
tablish a Coronavirus Mental Health and Addiction Assist-
ance Network that provides programs for assisting individ-
uals in managing mental health and substance use dis-
orders during or in connection to the COVID–19 pan-
demic. 
(b) ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS.—Grants awarded under 
subsection (a) may be used— 
(1) to initiate, expand, or sustain programs that 
provide professional mental health and substance use 
disorder counseling and referral for other forms of 
assistance as necessary to assist in the management 
of mental health and substance use disorders during 
or in connection to the COVID–19 pandemic, 
through— 
(A) telephone helplines and websites; 
(B) training, including training programs 
and workshops; 
(C) support groups; 
(D) outreach and support activities, includ-
ing the dissemination of information, materials, 
and equipment to clients for remote access to 
mental health and substance use disorder serv-
ices; and 
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(E) telehealth services; or 
(2) to enter into contracts, on a multiyear 
basis, with community-based, direct-service organiza-
tions to initiate, expand, or sustain programs de-
scribed in paragraph (1) and subsection (a). 
(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The Secretary may award 
a grant under this section to an entity that provides evi-
dence-based services and is— 
(1) an Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 of 
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assist-
ance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) or an urban Indian or-
ganization (as defined in section 4 of the Indian 
Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603)); 
(2) a qualified nonprofit organization, as deter-
mined by the Secretary; 
(3) an entity providing appropriate services, as 
determined by the Secretary, in 1 or more States; or 
(4) a partnership carried out by 2 or more enti-
ties described in any of paragraphs (1) through (3). 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$100,000,000, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
2021, to remain available until expended, or until the date 
that is 1 year after the conclusion of the public health 
emergency declared by the Secretary under section 319 
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of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on Jan-
uary 30, 2020, with respect to COVID–19, whichever is 
earlier. 
(e) REPORT TO CONGRESS, AGENCIES, AND PUB-
LIC.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the amount appropriated under subsection (d) is no 
longer available, the Secretary shall submit to Con-
gress and any other relevant Federal department or 
agency, and make publicly available, a report de-
scribing the success of the Coronavirus Mental 
Health and Addiction Assistance Network under this 
section in assisting in managing mental health and 
substance use disorders during or in connection to 
the COVID–19 pandemic. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report under paragraph 
(1) shall include— 
(A) an inventory and assessment of efforts, 
to support individuals seeking to manage men-
tal health and substance use disorders during 
or in connection to the COVID–19 pandemic, 
by— 
(i) the Federal Government, States, 
and units of local government; 
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(ii) communities comprised of individ-
uals seeking to manage mental health and 
substance use disorders during or in con-
nection to the COVID–19 pandemic; 
(iii) health care providers; and 
(iv) other appropriate entities, as de-
termined by the Secretary; 
(B) a description of the challenges faced 
by individuals seeking to manage mental health 
and substance use disorders during or in con-
nection to the COVID–19 pandemic; 
(C) a description of how the Secretary can 
improve coordination and cooperation with 
other Federal health departments and agencies, 
including other subagencies of the Department 
of Health and Human Services such as the 
Health Resources and Services Administration, 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
and the National Institutes of Health, to best 
address the mental health and substance use 
disorders of individuals who are seeking to 
manage mental health and substance use dis-
orders during or in connection to the COVID– 
19 pandemic; and 
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(D) an evaluation of the impact that men-
tal health and substance use disorder challenges 
and health outcomes (including suicide) experi-
enced during or in connection to the COVID– 
19 pandemic have on— 
(i) the health care workforce and oc-
cupations related to pandemic prepared-
ness and response; 
(ii) workforce readiness in new occu-
pations for employees whose jobs became 
obsolete; and 
(iii) community resilience. 
Æ 
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