GRIEF Act
Bill: H.R.9109 | Sponsor: Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. (D-NY)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Grief Resilience Investment and Education Fund Act or the GRIEF Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to support activities to address grief and loss, with a particular focus on grief and loss related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific activities required include (1) a public education campaign on understanding grief and loss; (2) grants for training providers on bereavement care and providing such care to individuals affected by COVID-19 and related deaths; and (3) research on complicated and prolonged grief, including interventions for its prevention and treatment.

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide support for 
             bereavement services, 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 ``Grief Resilience Investment and 
Education Fund Act'' or the ``GRIEF Act''.

SEC. 2. BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT AND RESEARCH.

    Title V of the Public Health Service Act is amended by adding at 
the end the following new part:

               ``PART L--BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT AND RESEARCH

``SEC. 598. NATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN ON GRIEF LITERACY AND 
              THE IMPORTANCE AND AVAILABILITY OF BEREAVEMENT CARE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish, and begin 
coordinating and evaluating, a targeted public education campaign that 
is designed to focus on the individual and community-wide consequences 
of loss when grief is unacknowledged and unsupported. Such campaign 
shall be designed to--
            ``(1) improve the general understanding of grief and loss, 
        including with respect to individuals grieving the loss of a 
        family member or loved one to COVID-19; and
            ``(2) encourage help-seeking behaviors relating to grief 
        and loss, including the availability of resources in 
        communities throughout the United States.
    ``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for the period of 
fiscal years 2022 through 2023.

``SEC. 598A. EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR BEREAVEMENT CARE PROVIDERS AND 
              PEER SUPPORT.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a grant program 
under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible entities to 
provide grief and bereavement services and expand access to such 
services.
    ``(b) Eligible Entities.--An entity is eligible to receive a grant 
under this section if such entity is, or contracts with another entity 
that is, a nonprofit or for-profit organization that has experience 
administering bereavement care programs or training health care 
providers, such as a hospice, hospital, palliative care provider, or 
other organization, as determined by the Secretary.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity may use funds received 
through a grant awarded under this section--
            ``(1) to develop and disseminate resources designed to help 
        social workers, grief counselors, chaplains, and other 
        bereavement care providers train others in understanding the 
        basics of grief, evidence-based interventions, culturally 
        appropriate care, and where to locate community grief resources 
        in response to the COVID-19 pandemic;
            ``(2) to provide training for professionals referred to in 
        paragraph (1) to expand the care such providers furnish during 
        public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; and
            ``(3) provide for training for peer-to-peer bereavement 
        support.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $40,000,000 for the period of 
fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

``SEC. 598B. GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a grant program 
under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible entities to 
provide grief and bereavement care to individuals (including 
individuals who have not yet attained the age of 18) affected by COVID-
19 and related deaths.
    ``(b) Eligible Entities.--An entity is eligible to receive a grant 
under this section if such entity is a nonprofit or for-profit 
organization that has experience administering bereavement care 
programs or training health care providers with respect to grief, such 
as a hospice, hospital, palliative care provider, youth-focused 
nonprofit organization, a school, or other organization, as determined 
by the Secretary.
    ``(c) Selection.--In selecting recipients of grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall consider, with respect to the eligible 
entity submitting the application for such a grant--
            ``(1) whether the entity has provided letters of support 
        from other community organizations;
            ``(2) the length of service of the entity in providing 
        evidence-based bereavement care in the community and number of 
        patients served;
            ``(3) the existing structure of the entity for providing 
        care in the community; and
            ``(4) the qualifications of the entity's providers working 
        in the community.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity may use funds received 
through a grant awarded under this section to--
            ``(1) operate grief support groups;
            ``(2) provide psychotherapy, health behavior assessment and 
        intervention services, psychological testing or diagnostic 
        examination services, and care coordination and referral 
        services;
            ``(3) purchase, maintain, and operate software and hardware 
        needed for operating remote and virtual counseling; and
            ``(4) develop and provide community-based bereavement and 
        grief services, including individual counseling.
    ``(e) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall, not later than 5 
years after the date of the enactment of this section, submit to 
Congress a report on the grant program under this section. Such report 
shall include--
            ``(1) the number of patients served by the program;
            ``(2) the geographic distribution of recipients of such 
        grant and the provision of bereavement care in underserved 
        areas; and
            ``(3) partnerships between such recipients and other 
        community organizations.
    ``(f) Funding.--
            ``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this section $150,000,000 for 
        the period of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
            ``(2) Allocation.--Of the funds made available to carry out 
        this section for a fiscal year--
                    ``(A) 33 percent shall be used for grants to 
                provide grief and bereavement care to individuals who 
                have not yet attained the age of 18; and
                    ``(B) the remainder shall be used for grants to 
                provide grief and bereavement care to other 
                individuals.

``SEC. 598C. RESEARCH ON COVID-19 AND COMPLICATED GRIEF.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of 
the National Institutes of Health, shall conduct and support research 
examining the experience of complicated and prolonged grief, and the 
efficacy of interventions for prevention and treatment, including the 
unique circumstances of complicated and prolonged grief related to the 
COVID-19 pandemic and other national emergencies, with the goal of 
identifying unique needs of individuals seeking help for grief stemming 
from such emergencies.
    ``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for the period of 
fiscal years 2023 through 2027.''.
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