I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5411 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Task 
Force on Local Mental Health Needs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 12, 2019 
Mr. HARDER of California introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
establish a Task Force on Local Mental Health Needs, 
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 ‘‘Increasing Access to 
Mental Health Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. TASK FORCE ON LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall establish a task force, to be known 
as the Task Force on Local Mental Health Needs— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:53 Dec 18, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5411.IH
H5411
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
(1) to analyze whether, notwithstanding section 
1115, section 1903(m)(7), paragraphs (14) and (16) 
of section 1905(a), and section 1915(l) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315, 1396b(m)(7), 
1396d(a), 1396n), the prohibition on Federal finan-
cial participation under the Medicaid program under 
title XIX of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) for 
items and services provided in a hospital, nursing fa-
cility, or other institution of more than 16 beds, that 
is primarily engaged in providing services described 
in section 1905(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(i)) 
for persons with mental diseases, precludes political 
subdivisions of some States from meeting the mental 
health care needs of individuals residing in such po-
litical subdivision; 
(2) in the case of a political subdivision so pre-
cluded, to develop possible solutions for addressing 
such mental health needs; and 
(3) to identify best and sustainable practices 
described in paragraphs (3) through (7) of sub-
section (c). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The members of the Task Force 
task shall consist of the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:53 Dec 18, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5411.IH
H5411
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
(1) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices (or the Secretary’s designee), who shall serve as 
the Chair of the Task Force. 
(2) The Attorney General of the United States 
(or the Attorney General’s designee). 
(3) The Secretary of Labor (or the Secretary’s 
designee). 
(4) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (or the 
Secretary’s designee). 
(5) The Director of the Office of National Drug 
Control Policy (or the Director’s designee). 
(6) The heads of such other Federal agencies 
and offices as may be appointed by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services (or their designees). 
(7) The directors of State or county agencies or 
offices of behavioral health services as may be ap-
pointed by the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services (or their designees). 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the initial meeting of the Task Force, the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services shall submit to Congress 
and make publicly available a final report of the Task 
Force that— 
(1) determines whether the prohibition de-
scribed in subsection (a)(1) precludes political sub-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:53 Dec 18, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5411.IH
H5411
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
divisions of some States from meeting the mental 
health care needs of individuals residing in such po-
litical subdivision; 
(2) in the case of a political subdivision so pre-
cluded, recommends possible solutions for addressing 
such mental health needs, including a recommended 
bed capacity number; 
(3) identifies best practices for compliance with 
the recommendations developed by the Task Force; 
(4) identifies sustainable practices for helping 
to provide services to transition individuals from 
mental health services to sustainable recovery serv-
ices, including identifying workforce and housing op-
portunities; 
(5) identifies best practices to coordinate men-
tal health service providers and public service agen-
cies with local law enforcement agencies to address 
issues like homelessness; 
(6) identifies best practices that are used by 
mental health service providers to handle patient dis-
charge planning, including linkage with community 
services and support; 
(7) identifies best practices that advance parity 
in mental health and substance use disorder treat-
ment; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:53 Dec 18, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5411.IH
H5411
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
(8) provides an analysis for alternatives to a 
bed capacity number, such as a time limit for Fed-
eral reimbursement for facilities or a time limit for 
patient stays in treatment. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any of 
the 50 States. 
(2) TASK
FORCE.—The term ‘‘Task Force’’ 
means the Task Force on Local Mental Health 
Needs established pursuant to this section. 
SEC. 3. MODERN MENTAL HEALTH FUND GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award grants 
to 10 eligible entities to coordinate mental health care 
services with qualified community entities described in 
subsection (d). 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To seek a grant under this sec-
tion, an entity shall— 
(1) be— 
(A) a psychiatric health facility; or 
(B) an institution for mental disease; and 
(2) submit an application to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary may require. 
(c) GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY.—In awarding grants 
under this section, the Secretary of Health and Human 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:29 Dec 21, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5411.IH
H5411
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
Services shall ensure there is geographic diversity across 
the grantees. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘institution for mental diseases’’ 
has the meaning given to that term in section 
1905(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1396d(i)). 
(2) The term ‘‘qualified community entity’’ 
means an entity that meets at least one of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The entity can ensure that case man-
agement provided by the entity working with a 
grantee under this section does not exceed a 
ratio of 1 caseworker to 20 cases. 
(B) The entity demonstrates the capacity 
to provide services to address mental health, 
substance use disorders and recovery services, 
disabling or other chronic health conditions, 
educational and job training or employment 
outcomes, and life skills needs (including finan-
cial literacy). 
(C) The entity can ensure stable housing, 
intensive case management, and comprehensive 
services that include, at minimum, mental 
health services, substance use disorder treat-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:53 Dec 18, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5411.IH
H5411
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
ment and recovery services, education and job 
training, age-appropriate services for children, 
and life skills training (such as financial lit-
eracy training). 
(D) The entity can coordinate with local 
law enforcement, courts (including specialized 
courts), probation, and other public services 
agencies to conduct outreach and better identify 
at-risk or homeless populations that would ben-
efit from services offered by the entity. 
(E) The entity can coordinate with a con-
gressionally chartered veterans service organiza-
tion, a State, local, or Tribal veterans service 
agency, or a nonprofit organization that has 
historically served veterans’ housing needs. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 and each subsequent fis-
cal year. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:53 Dec 18, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5411.IH
H5411
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS