Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.5937 | Sponsor: Rep. Meng, Grace (D-NY)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act of 2021
This bill establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) two demonstration programs to increase access to mental health services provided in languages other than English at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). In carrying out the programs, HHS must give preference to FQHCs at which at least 20% of the patients are best served in a language other than English.
First, HHS must provide National Health Service Corps (NHSC) loan repayments to mental health care providers who agree to serve their period of obligated service in an FQHC. HHS may provide enhanced payments to those who serve in an FQHC with non-English language needs. (The NHSC is a scholarship and student loan repayment program for eligible health care providers who agree to work in areas with a shortage of primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers.)
Second, HHS must award grants to FQHCs for recruiting and retaining mental health care providers who are fluent in a language other than English.

To increase language access to mental health services at certain health 
                    centers, 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 and Language 
Access Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO INCREASE LANGUAGE ACCESS AT FEDERALLY 
              QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS.

    (a) Loan Repayments to Qualified Health Care Professionals.--
            (1) In general.--For the purpose of increasing language 
        access to mental health services, the Secretary shall carry out 
        a demonstration project under which--
                    (A) the Secretary matches qualified mental health 
                professionals with Federally qualified health centers;
                    (B) the qualified mental health professionals each 
                agree to a period of obligated service at a Federally 
                qualified health center with which they are so matched; 
                and
                    (C) the Secretary agrees to make loan repayments 
                under section 338B of the Public Health Service Act (42 
                U.S.C. 254l-1) on behalf of such qualified mental 
                health professionals.
            (2) Preference.--In matching qualified mental health 
        professionals with Federally qualified health centers under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to placement 
        at Federally qualified health centers at which at least 20 
        percent of the patients are best served in a language other 
        than English, as indicated by data in the Uniform Data System 
        (or any successor database).
            (3) Enhanced compensation.--For each year of obligated 
        service that a qualified mental health professional contracts 
        to serve under paragraph (1) at a Federally qualified health 
        center at which at least 20 percent of the patients are best 
        served in a language other than English, as indicated by data 
        in the Uniform Data System (or any successor database), the 
        Secretary may pay the higher of--
                    (A) $10,000 above the maximum amount otherwise 
                applicable under section 338B(g)(2)(A) of the Public 
                Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l-1(g)(2)(A)); or
                    (B) if the qualified health professional is fluent 
                in a language other than English that is needed by such 
                Federally qualified health center, $15,000 above such 
                maximum amount.
            (4) Achieving fluency.--A qualified mental health 
        professional subject to the pay amount specified in paragraph 
        (3)(A) at the beginning of the professional's period of 
        obligated service may transition to being subject to the higher 
        pay amount specified in paragraph (3)(B) if the professional is 
        determined by the Federally qualified health center at which 
        the professional serves to have achieved fluency in a language 
        other than English needed by that health center.
    (b) Grants to Health Centers.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
        demonstration program consisting of awarding grants under 
        section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) 
        to Federally qualified health centers to recruit, hire, employ, 
        and supervise qualified mental health professionals who are 
        fluent in a language other than English to provide mental 
        health services in such other language.
            (2) Preference.--In selecting grant recipients under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to Federally 
        qualified health centers at which at least 20 percent of the 
        patients are best served in a language other than English, as 
        indicated by data in the Uniform Data System (or any successor 
        database).
            (3) Marketing.--A Federally qualified health center 
        receiving a grant under this subsection shall use a portion of 
        the grant funds to disseminate information about, and otherwise 
        market, the mental health services supported through the grant.
    (c) Reports.--
            (1) Initial report.--Not later than 6 months after the 
        first loan repayment awards have been made under subsection (a) 
        and the first grants have been awarded under subsection (b), 
        the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations 
        of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and to other 
        appropriate congressional committees, a report on the 
        implementation of the programs under this section. Such report 
        shall include--
                    (A) the languages spoken by the qualified mental 
                health professionals receiving loan repayments pursuant 
                to subsection (a) or recruited pursuant to a grant 
                under subsection (b);
                    (B) the Federally qualified health centers at which 
                such professionals were placed;
                    (C) how many Federally qualified health centers 
                received funding through the grant program under 
                subsection (b);
                    (D) an analysis, conducted in consultation with the 
                Federally qualified health centers receiving grants 
                under section (b), of the effectiveness of such grants 
                at increasing language access to mental health 
                services; and
                    (E) best practices, developed in consultation with 
                Federally qualified health centers receiving grants 
                under section (b), for the recruitment and retention of 
                mental health professionals at Federally qualified 
                health centers.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than the end of fiscal year 
        2026, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
        Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, 
        and to other appropriate congressional committees, a final 
        report on the implementation of the programs under this 
        section, including the information, analysis, and best 
        practices listed in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph 
        (1).
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``Federally qualified health center'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 1861(aa) of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)).
            (2) The term ``qualified mental health professional'' 
        means--
                    (A) physicians, allopathic physicians, osteopathic 
                physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician 
                assistants with a specialty in mental health and 
                psychiatry;
                    (B) health service psychologists;
                    (C) licensed clinical social workers;
                    (D) psychiatric nurse specialists;
                    (E) marriage and family therapists;
                    (F) licensed professional counselors;
                    (G) substance use disorder counselors;
                    (H) occupational therapists; and
                    (I) other individuals who--
                            (i) have not yet been licensed or certified 
                        to serve as a professional listed in any of 
                        subparagraphs (A) through (H); and
                            (ii) will serve at the Federally qualified 
                        health center under the supervision of a 
                        licensed individual or certified professional 
                        so listed.
            (3) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--To carry out this section, there is 
        authorized to be appropriated $75,000,000 for each of fiscal 
        years 2022 through 2026.
            (2) Supplement not supplant.--Amounts made available to 
        carry out this section shall be in addition to amounts 
        otherwise available to provide mental health services at 
        Federally qualified health centers pursuant to sections 338B 
        and 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l-1, 
        254b).
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