Title: Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act of 2020
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act of 2020
This bill requires the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to establish a grant program for health care providers to promote mental wellness among frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency must also study mental health and burnout among health care workers.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7255 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7255

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants 
 to health care providers to establish or expand programs dedicated to 
 promoting mental wellness among their health care workers, including 
  contractors, on the front lines of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 18, 2020

Mr. Krishnamoorthi (for himself, Mr. Katko, and Ms. Wilson of Florida) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants 
 to health care providers to establish or expand programs dedicated to 
 promoting mental wellness among their health care workers, including 
  contractors, on the front lines of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, 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 ``Coronavirus Health Care Worker 
Wellness Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) Health care workers on the front lines of the SARS-CoV-
        2 pandemic experience extraordinary levels of stress that may 
        impact their immediate and long-term wellbeing.
            (2) Health care workers experienced high rates of burnout 
        and mental health disorders before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) health care workers on the front lines of the SARS-CoV-
        2 pandemic deserve access to resources that promote mental 
        wellness during the pandemic and in its aftermath; and
            (2) the Federal Government has an interest in improving the 
        overall mental health and professional satisfaction of the 
        Nation's health care workforce.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO PROMOTE MENTAL WELLNESS 
              AMONG THEIR WORKERS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in 
this Act referred to as the ``Secretary''), acting through the Director 
of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, in collaboration 
with one or more national medical professional organizations, shall 
award grants to health care providers to establish or expand programs 
dedicated to promoting mental wellness among their health care workers, 
including contractors, on the front lines of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
    (b) Process.--
            (1) Application availability.--Not later than 30 days after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall make 
        available the application form and announce the process for 
        applying for a grant under this section.
            (2) Application submission.--To seek a grant under this 
        section, an applicant shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information and assurances as the Secretary may require.
            (3) Availability of funds.--Not later than 30 days after 
        approving an application for a grant under this section, the 
        Secretary shall make the grant funds available to the grantee.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary 
for the period of fiscal years 2021 and 2022.

SEC. 5. COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON HEALTH CARE WORKER MENTAL HEALTH AND 
              BURNOUT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, in collaboration with one 
or more national medical professional organizations, shall commission a 
comprehensive study on health care worker mental health and burnout.
    (b) Focus Areas.--The study under subsection (a) shall focus on 
identifying--
            (1) the factors that contribute to poor mental health and 
        burnout among health care workers;
            (2) the barriers to health care workers seeking and 
        accessing mental health treatment;
            (3) the implications of poor mental health and burnout 
        among health care workers for the health care system and 
        patient outcomes;
            (4) the best ways to prevent and address the problems 
        described in paragraphs (1) through (3);
            (5) the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the mental 
        health of health care workers and related preparedness 
        strategies for future health emergencies; and
            (6) the efficacy of programs funded pursuant to section 4.
    (c) Completion; Report.--The Secretary shall--
            (1) ensure that the study commissioned under subsection (a) 
        is completed not later than the day that is 1 year after the 
        date of on which the Secretary makes the final expenditure of 
        funds for such study; and
            (2) submit a report to the Congress not later than such day 
        on the findings and conclusions of such study, including 
        recommendations for addressing health care worker mental health 
        and burnout.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary 
for the period of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
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