I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4131 
To amend the Controlled Substances Act to clarify the eligibility of certain 
community mental health centers to register for purposes of the practice 
of telemedicine, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 30, 2019 
Ms. MATSUI (for herself, Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana, Mr. O’HALLERAN, Ms. 
KUSTER of New Hampshire, and Mr. WITTMAN) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 
in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Controlled Substances Act to clarify the eligi-
bility of certain community mental health centers to reg-
ister for purposes of the practice of telemedicine, 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 ‘‘Improving Access to 
Remote Behavioral Health Treatment Act of 2019’’. 
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SEC. 2. REGISTRATION OF QUALIFIED COMMUNITY MEN-
TAL HEALTH CENTERS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 102 of the Controlled 
Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (54)(A)(i) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(i) while the patient is being treated by, 
and physically located in— 
‘‘(I) a hospital or clinic registered 
under section 303(f); or 
‘‘(II) a qualified community mental 
health center registered under section 
303(l); and’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (58) as para-
graph (59); 
(3) by redesignating the second paragraph (57) 
(as added by section 401(a) of the First Step Act 
of 2018 (Public Law 115–391)) as paragraph (58); 
and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(60) The term ‘qualified community mental health 
center’ means a facility that— 
‘‘(A)(i) meets the criteria specified in section 
1913(c) of the Public Health Service Act to be con-
sidered a community mental health center; or 
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‘‘(ii) meets the criteria specified pursuant to 
section 223 of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act 
of 2014 to be considered a certified community be-
havioral health clinic; and 
‘‘(B) is licensed, operated, authorized, certified, 
or otherwise recognized by a State government.’’. 
(b) REGISTRATION.—Section 303 of the Controlled 
Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 823) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(l) QUALIFIED COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CEN-
TERS.— 
‘‘(1) REGISTRATION.—The Attorney General 
shall register qualified community mental health 
centers to administer controlled substances through 
the practice of telemedicine. 
‘‘(2) DENIAL OF APPLICATIONS.—The Attorney 
General may deny an application for registration 
under paragraph (1) if the Attorney General deter-
mines that the registration would be inconsistent 
with the public interest after considering— 
‘‘(A) any recommendation by the licensing 
board or professional disciplinary authority of 
the State in which the applicant is located; 
‘‘(B) the experience of the applicant in 
treating patients; 
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‘‘(C) any conviction of an employee of the 
applicant under Federal or State law relating to 
treatment of patients; 
‘‘(D) the compliance of the applicant with 
applicable Federal, State, or local laws relating 
to treatment of patients; and 
‘‘(E) any other conduct by the applicant 
that may threaten the public’s health and safe-
ty.’’. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 60 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney Gen-
eral of the United States shall submit to the Congress a 
plan for implementation of the amendments made by sub-
sections (a) and (b). 
(d) DELAYED
APPLICABILITY.—The amendments 
made by subsections (a) and (b) apply beginning on the 
date that is 120 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
Æ 
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