I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8141 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to reduce health inequities experi-
enced by individuals who are members of historically racial and ethnic 
minority groups under State plans under the community mental health 
services block grant program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 
Mr. CA´RDENAS (for himself and Ms. JOHNSON of Texas) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to reduce health 
inequities experienced by individuals who are members 
of historically racial and ethnic minority groups under 
State plans under the community mental health services 
block grant program, 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 ‘‘Strengthening Mental 
Health Supports for BIPOC Communities Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REDUCING HEALTH INEQUITIES EXPERIENCED BY 
HISTORICALLY RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORI-
TIES UNDER STATE PLANS UNDER COMMU-
NITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES BLOCK 
GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1942(a) of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x–52(a)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para-
graph (5); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) services provided by the State to adults 
with a serious mental illness and children with a se-
rious emotional disturbance who are members of his-
torically racial and ethnic minority groups, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(A) the extent to which such services are 
provided to such adults and children; and 
‘‘(B) the outcomes experienced by such 
adults and children as a result of the provision 
of such services, including with respect to— 
‘‘(i) diversions from hospitalization 
and criminal justice system involvement; 
‘‘(ii) treatment for first episode psy-
chosis or undefined psychosis; 
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‘‘(iii) reductions in suicide and in-
creased utilization of appropriate treat-
ments and interventions for suicidal idea-
tion; 
‘‘(iv) response through crisis services, 
including mobile crisis services; 
‘‘(v) treatment of individuals who are 
experiencing homelessness or housing inse-
curity and individuals residing in rural 
communities; and 
‘‘(vi) increased patient family and/or 
caregiver engagement and education on se-
rious mental illness to reduce social stigma 
and promote healthy social support for pa-
tients; 
‘‘(3) any outreach by the State to, and the hir-
ing of, providers from multiple disciplines (such as 
a psychologist, psychiatrist, peer support provider, 
social worker) of mental health services who are 
members of historically racial and ethnic minority 
groups; 
‘‘(4) any outreach by the State to providers 
from multiple disciplines of mental health services— 
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