Pregnancy Loss Mental Health Research Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.5995 | Sponsor: Rep. Emmer, Tom (R-MN)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Pregnancy Loss Mental Health Research Act of 2021
This bill expands research and related activities that address mental health complications following a pregnancy loss (i.e., miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion).
Specifically, the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) must expand and intensify research on mental health complications following pregnancy loss. In particular, NIMH must conduct a longitudinal study to determine the prevalence and other information about such mental health complications.
Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services must award grants to health providers, state or local governments, or other appropriate nonprofits to deliver services to individuals with mental health conditions following a pregnancy loss.
Funding made available under this bill may not be provided to an entity (or an entity's affiliate, subsidiary, successor, or clinic) that performs abortions other than in the case of a pregnancy (1) that is the result of rape or incest; or (2) when the life of the woman is in danger due to a physical disorder, injury, or illness.

To provide research on, and services for, individuals with clinical 
 mental health complications following a pregnancy loss, 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 ``Pregnancy Loss Mental Health 
Research Act of 2021''.

 TITLE I--RESEARCH ON CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COMPLICATIONS FOLLOWING A 
                             PREGNANCY LOSS

SEC. 101. EXPANSION AND INTENSIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL 
              INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting 
through the Director of the National Institutes of Health and the 
Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (in this section 
referred to as the ``Institute''), shall expand and intensify research 
and related activities of the Institute with respect to clinical mental 
health complications, including persistent complex bereavement 
disorder, following a pregnancy loss (including a miscarriage, 
stillbirth, or abortion).
    (b) Coordination With Other Institutes.--The Director of the 
Institute shall coordinate the activities of the Director under 
subsection (a) with similar activities conducted by the other national 
research institutes and agencies of the National Institutes of Health 
to the extent that such Institutes and agencies have responsibilities 
that are related to clinical mental health complications following a 
pregnancy loss (including a miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion).
    (c) Programs for Pregnancy Loss Conditions.--In carrying out 
subsection (a), the Director of the Institute shall conduct or support 
research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and to identify 
treatment for, mental health conditions following a pregnancy loss, 
including the following:
            (1) Basic research concerning the etiology and causes of 
        the conditions.
            (2) The development of improved screening and diagnostic 
        techniques.
            (3) Clinical research for the development and evaluation of 
        new treatments, including new biological agents.
            (4) Information and education programs for health care 
        professionals and the public.
    (d) Longitudinal Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the Institute shall 
        conduct a national longitudinal study to determine the 
        prevalence of mental health complications following a pregnancy 
        loss, and the symptoms, severity, and duration of such cases, 
        toward the goal of more fully identifying the characteristics 
        of such cases and developing diagnostic techniques.
            (2) Report.--Beginning not later than 3 years after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, and periodically thereafter 
        for the duration of the study under paragraph (1), the Director 
        of the Institute shall prepare and submit to the Congress a 
        report on the findings of the study, any progress with respect 
        to the study, and methodologies used to conduct the study.

SEC. 102. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--For the purpose of carrying out this title, there 
is authorized to be appropriated $4,500,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2022 through 2023.
    (b) Limitation.--Any amounts appropriated under this title are 
subject to the requirements and limitations under sections 506 and 507 
of division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 
116-260) in the same manner and to the same extent as if such amounts 
for each year were appropriated under such division.

     TITLE II--DELIVERY OF SERVICES WITH RESPECT TO MENTAL HEALTH 
                COMPLICATIONS FOLLOWING A PREGNANCY LOSS

SEC. 201. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS FOLLOWING 
              A PREGNANCY LOSS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in 
this title referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall in accordance with 
this title make grants to provide for projects for the establishment, 
operation, and coordination of effective and cost-efficient systems for 
the delivery of mental health services to individuals struggling with 
clinical mental health conditions following a pregnancy loss.
    (b) Recipients of Grants.--A grant under subsection (a) may be made 
to an entity only if the entity--
            (1) is a public or nonprofit private entity, which may 
        include a State or local government; a public or nonprofit 
        private hospital, community-based organization, community 
        health center, migrant health center, or homeless health 
        center; or other appropriate public or nonprofit private 
        entity; and
            (2) has experience in providing the services described in 
        subsection (a) before the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (c) Certain Activities.--To the extent practicable and appropriate, 
the Secretary shall ensure that projects under subsection (a) provide 
services for the screening, diagnosis, and management of mental health 
conditions, including persistent complex bereavement disorders, 
following a pregnancy loss. Such activities may include the following:
            (1) Delivering or enhancing outpatient and home-based 
        health and support services (including case management, 
        screening and mental health treatment services) for individuals 
        with, or who are at risk of developing, mental health 
        complications following a pregnancy loss, and delivering or 
        enhancing support services for the families of such 
        individuals.
            (2) Delivering or enhancing inpatient care management 
        services that ensure the well being of the mother and family, 
        and the future development of the infant.
            (3) Improving the quality, availability, and organization 
        of health care and support services (including transportation 
        services, attendant care, homemaker services, day or respite 
        care, and providing counseling on financial assistance and 
        insurance) for individuals with mental health conditions 
        following a pregnancy loss.
    (d) Integration With Other Programs.--To the extent practicable and 
appropriate, the Secretary shall integrate the program under this title 
with other grant programs carried out by the Secretary, including the 
program under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
254b).
    (e) Limitation on Amount of Grants.--A grant under subsection (a) 
may not for any fiscal year be made in an amount exceeding $100,000.

SEC. 202. CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANT PROGRAM FOR CLINICAL MENTAL 
              HEALTH CONDITIONS FOLLOWING A PREGNANCY LOSS.

    A grant may be made under section 201 only if the applicant 
involved makes the following agreements:
            (1) Not more than 5 percent of the grant will be used for 
        administration, accounting, reporting, and program oversight 
        functions.
            (2) The grant will be used to supplement and not supplant 
        funds from other sources related to the treatment of clinical 
        mental health conditions following a pregnancy loss.
            (3) The applicant will abide by any limitations deemed 
        appropriate by the Secretary on any charges to individuals 
        receiving services pursuant to the grant. As deemed appropriate 
        by the Secretary, such limitations on charges may vary based on 
        the financial circumstances of the individual receiving 
        services.
            (4) The grant will not be expended to make payment for 
        services authorized under section 201(a) to the extent that 
        payment has been made, or can reasonably be expected to be 
        made, with respect to such services--
                    (A) under any State compensation program, under an 
                insurance policy, or under any Federal or State health 
                benefits program; or
                    (B) by an entity that provides health services on a 
                prepaid basis.
            (5) The applicant will, at each site at which the applicant 
        provides services under section 201(a), post a conspicuous 
        notice informing individuals who receive the services of any 
        Federal policies that apply to the applicant with respect to 
        the imposition of charges on such individuals.

SEC. 203. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    The Secretary may provide technical assistance to assist entities 
in complying with the requirements of this title in order to make such 
entities eligible to receive grants under section 201.

SEC. 204. NO FUNDS FOR CERTAIN ABORTION PROVIDERS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none 
of the funds made available by this Act may be made available either 
directly, through a State (including through managed care contracts 
with a State), or through any other means, to a prohibited entity.
    (b) Prohibited Entity.--The term ``prohibited entity'' means an 
entity, including its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, and clinics 
that, as of the date of enactment of this Act--
            (1) is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of 
        the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation 
        under section 501(a) of such Code;
            (2) is an essential community provider described in section 
        156.235 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect 
        on the date of enactment of this Act), that is primarily 
        engaged in family planning services, reproductive health, and 
        related medical care; and
            (3) performs, or provides any funds to any other entity 
        that performs, abortions, other than--
                    (A) in the case of a pregnancy that is the result 
                of an act of rape or incest; or
                    (B) in the case where a woman suffers from a 
                physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness 
                that would, as certified by a physician, place the 
                woman in danger of death unless an abortion is 
                performed, including a life endangering physical 
                condition caused by, or arising from, the pregnancy 
                itself.
    (c) End of Prohibition.--The definition in subsection (b) shall 
cease to apply to an entity if such entity certifies that it, including 
its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, and clinics, will not 
perform, and will not provide any funds to any other entity that 
performs, an abortion described in subsection (b)(3).
    (d) Repayment by Prohibited Entity.--The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall seek repayment of any Federal assistance received 
by any entity that had made a certification described in subsection (c) 
and subsequently violated the terms of such certification.

SEC. 205. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--For the purpose of carrying out this title, there 
is authorized to be appropriated $4,500,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2022 through 2023.
    (b) Limitation.--Any amounts appropriated under this title are 
subject to the requirements and limitations under sections 506 and 507 
of division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 
116-260) in the same manner and to the same extent as if such amounts 
for each year were appropriated under such division.
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