Mental Health Workforce for Kids Act
Bill: S.5248 | Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. (D-PA)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Mental Health Workforce for Kids Act
This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and makes other changes to a demonstration program that supports integrating primary care and behavioral health care in underserved, community-based settings through the provision of training to health care providers. Specific changes include expanding the types of providers who may receive training through the program and incorporating a particular focus on pediatrics.

To reauthorize the training demonstration program, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mental Health Workforce for Kids 
Act''.

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF TRAINING DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM WITH 
              PROVISIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE PEDIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH CARE 
              WORKFORCE.

    Section 760 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294k) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) by striking ``nurse practitioners, 
                        physician assistants, health service 
                        psychologists, and social workers'' and 
                        inserting ``registered nurses and nurse 
                        practitioners, physician assistants, health 
                        service psychologists, counselors, social 
                        workers, and other health care providers (as 
                        the Secretary determines appropriate to provide 
                        trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate 
                        care for pediatric mental health, 
                        developmental, and substance use disorders)''; 
                        and
                            (ii) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
                        semicolon;
                    (B) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or 
                        pediatric mental health and substance use 
                        disorder care'' after ``addiction''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking the 
                        period and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) training for provisionally licensed mental health and 
        substance use disorder professionals in underserved community-
        based settings.'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(A)(i)--
                            (i) in subclause (l), by inserting ``or 
                        child and adolescent psychiatry'' after 
                        ``addiction medicine''; and
                            (ii) in subclause (ll), by inserting ``or 
                        child and adolescent psychiatry'' after 
                        ``addiction medicine''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Support for provisionally-licensed providers.--A 
        recipient of a grant under subsection (a)(4)--
                    ``(A) shall use the grant funds to provide clinical 
                training or to provide trainee support, including in 
                the form of stipends, to individuals pursuing 
                postgraduate supervised clinical training required for 
                licensure to provide mental and behavioral health 
                services, public health services, or primary care 
                services, as appropriate; and
                    ``(B) may use the grant funds to provide additional 
                support for the administration of the program or to 
                meet the costs of projects to establish, maintain, or 
                improve clinical supervision or departments, divisions, 
                or other units necessary to implement such program.'';
            (3) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(A)(ii)(II), by inserting ``or 
                child and adolescent psychiatry'' after ``addiction 
                medicine'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``; 
                        or'' and inserting a semicolon;
                            (ii) in subparagraph (F), by striking 
                        ``nurse practitioners, physician assistants, 
                        health service psychologists, and social 
                        workers.'' and inserting ``registered nurses 
                        and nurse practitioners, physician assistants, 
                        health service psychologists, counselors, 
                        social workers, and other health care providers 
                        (as the Secretary determines appropriate to 
                        provide trauma-informed, developmentally 
                        appropriate care for pediatric mental health, 
                        developmental, and substance use disorders); 
                        or''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(G) a children's hospital or children's health 
                system providing pediatric health services--
                            ``(i) to a high percentage of children 
                        covered under a State Medicaid program under 
                        title XIX of the Social Security Act or a State 
                        Children's Health Insurance program under title 
                        XXI of such Act; or
                            ``(ii) in a rural community.''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Support for provisionally-licensed providers.--To be 
        eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a)(4), an entity 
        shall be--
                    ``(A) an accredited institution of higher education 
                that provides clinical training to provisionally 
                licensed professionals;
                    ``(B) an accredited professional training program 
                that provides clinical training to provisionally 
                licensed professionals; or
                    ``(C) a nonprofit private or public organization 
                that provides clinical training to provisionally 
                licensed professionals, as the Secretary determines 
                appropriate.'';
            (4) in subsection (d)(1)(A)--
                    (A) by striking ``nurse practitioners'' and 
                inserting ``health service psychologists, counselors, 
                registered nurses, nurse practitioners''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``or pediatric mental health and 
                substance use disorder care'' after ``addiction 
                medicine''; and
            (5) in subsection (g), by striking ``$10,000,000 for each 
        of fiscal years 2018 through 2022'' and inserting ``such sums 
        as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2023 through 
        2027''.
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