Improving Access to Behavioral Health Integration Act
Bill: S.4306 | Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina (D-MN)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Improving Access to Behavioral Health Integration Act
This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and expands a program that supports mental and behavioral health education and training for health care providers.
Specifically, the bill expands the program by establishing grants for primary care practices to hire behavioral health providers or otherwise facilitate the adoption of models to integrate behavioral health and primary care. The Department of Health and Human Services must develop reporting requirements and metrics to measure the uptake of such models by primary care practices.

To support behavioral health integration into primary care practices, 
                        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 ``Improving Access to Behavioral 
Health Integration Act''.

SEC. 2. PROGRAM TO SUPPORT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTEGRATION.

    Section 760 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294k) is 
amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``training 
        demonstration program'' and inserting ``program to support 
        behavioral health integration'';
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (B) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) supporting primary care practices in implementing 
        evidence-based behavioral health integration programs that 
        involve professionals whose primary job function is the direct 
        screening, diagnosis, treatment, or recovery support of 
        patients with or in recovery from a behavioral health disorder, 
        such as physicians, psychiatric nurses, social workers, 
        marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, 
        occupational therapists, psychologists, and peer support 
        specialists.'';
            (3) by adding at the end of subsection (b) the following:
            ``(4) Behavioral health integration programs.--A recipient 
        of a grant under subsection (a)(4) shall use the grant funds 
        to--
                    ``(A) hire physicians, psychiatric nurses, social 
                workers, marriage and family therapists, mental health 
                counselors, occupational therapists, psychologists, or 
                peer support specialists to provide behavioral health 
                services;
                    ``(B) identify and enter into contractual 
                relationships with health care providers or vendors 
                offering care management and behavioral health 
                consultation to facilitate the adoption of behavioral 
                health integration models; or
                    ``(C) for such other purposes as the Secretary 
                determines appropriate.'';
            (4) by adding at the end of subsection (c) the following:
            ``(4) Behavioral health integration programs.--To be 
        eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a)(4), an entity 
        shall be a primary care practice, including adult primary care 
        practices and pediatric primary care practices.'';
            (5) by adding at the end of subsection (d) the following:
            ``(3) Behavioral health integration programs.--In awarding 
        grants under subsection (a)(4), the Secretary shall give 
        priority to eligible entities that--
                    ``(A) demonstrate a pathway to financially sustain 
                the behavioral health integration program beyond the 
                initial grant period, such as participation in value-
                based behavioral health integration models;
                    ``(B) have the capacity to expand access to mental 
                health and substance use disorder services in areas 
                with demonstrated need, as determined by the Secretary, 
                such as Tribal, rural, or other medically underserved 
                communities; or
                    ``(C) are practices that are eligible for technical 
                assistance under section 1848(q)(11) of the Social 
                Security Act on the basis of the number of 
                professionals.'';
            (6) in subsection (f)--
                    (A) by striking ``demonstration program'' each 
                place such term appears and inserting ``program'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; 
                        and'' and inserting a semicolon;
                            (ii) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as 
                        subparagraph (D); and
                            (iii) by inserting after subparagraph (B) 
                        the following:
                    ``(C) an analysis of the uptake of behavioral 
                health integration models in primary care practices; 
                and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Metrics for measuring the uptake of behavioral health 
        integration models.--For purposes of the reporting requirement 
        under paragraph (2)(C), the Secretary shall develop evidence-
        based metrics and reporting requirements to measure the uptake 
        of behavioral health integration models by primary care 
        practices, including by measuring the increase in provider 
        capacity, patient access to behavioral health care, and patient 
        outcomes. The Secretary shall consult with primary care and 
        behavioral health professionals, and patient advocates when 
        developing measures and performance metrics.
            ``(4) Publication of data.--The Secretary shall make public 
        aggregate evaluation results collected through the study under 
        paragraph (1) to facilitate identifying best practices and 
        promising models for scale with respect to behavioral health 
        integration programs.''; and
            (7) by amending subsection (g) to read as follows:
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated, for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027--
            ``(1) to carry out the grant programs under paragraphs (1), 
        (2), and (3) of subsection (a), $10,000,000; and
            ``(2) to carry out the grant program under subsection 
        (a)(4), $30,000,000.''.
                                 <all>