I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5611 
To empower communities to establish a continuum of care for individuals 
experiencing mental or behavioral health crisis, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 19, 2021 
Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER (for herself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. CA´RDENAS, and 
Ms. HERRERA BEUTLER) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
the Committees on Ways and Means, Armed Services, Veterans’ Affairs, 
and Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To empower communities to establish a continuum of care 
for individuals experiencing mental or behavioral health 
crisis, 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 ‘‘Behavioral Health Cri-
sis Services Expansion Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CRISIS RESPONSE CONTINUUM OF CARE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall establish standards for a continuum of care 
for use by health care providers and communities in re-
sponding to individuals experiencing a mental or behav-
ioral health crisis, including those individuals with co-oc-
curring substance use disorders (referred to in this section 
as the ‘‘crisis response continuum’’). 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) SCOPE
OF
STANDARDS.—Such standards 
shall define— 
(A) minimum requirements of core crisis 
services, as determined by the Secretary, to in-
clude requirements that each entity that fur-
nishes such services should— 
(i) not require prior authorization 
from an insurance provider nor referral 
from a health care provider prior to the de-
livery of services; 
(ii) serve all individuals regardless of 
age or ability to pay; 
(iii) operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a 
week, and provide care to all individuals; 
and 
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(iv) provide care and support through 
resources described in paragraph (2)(A) 
until the individual has been stabilized or 
transfer the individual to the next level of 
crisis care; and 
(B) psychiatric stabilization, including the 
point at which a case may be closed for— 
(i) individuals screened over the 
phone; and 
(ii) individuals stabilized on the scene 
by mobile teams. 
(2) IDENTIFICATION
OF
ESSENTIAL
FUNC-
TIONS.—The Secretary shall identify the essential 
functions of each service in the crisis response con-
tinuum, which shall include at least the following: 
(A) Identification of resources for referral 
and enrollment in continuing behavioral health 
and other human services for the individual in 
crisis where necessary. 
(B) Delineation of access and entry points 
to services within the crisis response continuum. 
(C) Development of and adherence to pro-
tocols and agreements for the transfer and re-
ceipt of individuals to and from other segments 
of the crisis response continuum segments as 
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needed, and from outside referrals including 
health care providers, law enforcement, EMS, 
fire, education institutions, and community- 
based organizations. 
(D) Description of the qualifications of cri-
sis services staff, including roles for physicians, 
licensed clinicians, case managers, and peers (in 
accordance with State licensing requirements). 
(E) Requirements for the convention of 
collaborative meetings of crisis response service 
providers, first responders, and community 
partners operating in a common region for the 
discussion of case management, best practices, 
and general performance improvement. 
(3) SERVICE CAPACITY AND QUALITY STAND-
ARDS.—Such standards shall include definitions of— 
(A) adequate volume of services to meet 
population need; 
(B) appropriate timely response; and 
(C) capacity to meet the needs of different 
patient populations, including all age groups, 
cultural and linguistic minorities, and individ-
uals with co-occurring mental health and sub-
stance use disorder crisis, individuals with cog-
nitive disabilities experiencing behavioral health 
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crises, and individuals with chronic medical con-
ditions and physical disabilities experiencing be-
havioral health crises. 
(4) OVERSIGHT
AND
ACCREDITATION.—The 
Secretary shall designate entities charged with the 
oversight and accreditation of entities within the cri-
sis response continuum. 
(5) IMPLEMENTATION TIMEFRAME.—Not later 
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall establish the standards under 
this section. 
(6) DATA COLLECTION AND EVALUATIONS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, directly 
or through grants, contracts, or interagency 
agreements, shall collect data and conduct eval-
uations with respect to the provision of services 
and programs offered on the crisis response 
continuum for purposes of assessing the extent 
to which the provision of such services and pro-
grams meet certain objectives and outcomes 
measures as determined by the Secretary. Such 
objectives shall include— 
(i) a reduction in inappropriate ar-
rests of individuals who are in mental 
health crisis; 
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