Title: Increasing Access to Mental Health Act of 2019
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Increasing Access to Mental Health Act of 2019  This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a Task Force on Local Mental Health Needs to assess, and report on, the impact of the exclusion of Medicaid coverage for services at mental health institutions with more than 16 beds.
The bill also establishes a grant program to coordinate and deliver mental health services in certain qualified community entities.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5411 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5411

  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
    Task Force on Local Mental Health Needs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 12, 2019

   Mr. Harder of California introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
    Task Force on Local Mental Health Needs, 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 ``Increasing Access to Mental Health 
Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. TASK FORCE ON LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
establish a task force, to be known as the Task Force on Local Mental 
Health Needs--
            (1) to analyze whether, notwithstanding section 1115, 
        section 1903(m)(7), paragraphs (14) and (16) of section 
        1905(a), and section 1915(l) of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1315, 1396b(m)(7), 1396d(a), 1396n), the prohibition on 
        Federal financial participation under the Medicaid program 
        under title XIX of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) for items 
        and services provided in a hospital, nursing facility, or other 
        institution of more than 16 beds, that is primarily engaged in 
        providing services described in section 1905(i) of such Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1396d(i)) for persons with mental diseases, precludes 
        political subdivisions of some States from meeting the mental 
        health care needs of individuals residing in such political 
        subdivision;
            (2) in the case of a political subdivision so precluded, to 
        develop possible solutions for addressing such mental health 
        needs; and
            (3) to identify best and sustainable practices described in 
        paragraphs (3) through (7) of subsection (c).
    (b) Membership.--The members of the Task Force task shall consist 
of the following:
            (1) The Secretary of Health and Human Services (or the 
        Secretary's designee), who shall serve as the Chair of the Task 
        Force.
            (2) The Attorney General of the United States (or the 
        Attorney General's designee).
            (3) The Secretary of Labor (or the Secretary's designee).
            (4) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (or the Secretary's 
        designee).
            (5) The Director of the Office of National Drug Control 
        Policy (or the Director's designee).
            (6) The heads of such other Federal agencies and offices as 
        may be appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
        (or their designees).
            (7) The directors of State or county agencies or offices of 
        behavioral health services as may be appointed by the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services (or their designees).
    (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the initial 
meeting of the Task Force, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
shall submit to Congress and make publicly available a final report of 
the Task Force that--
            (1) determines whether the prohibition described in 
        subsection (a)(1) precludes political subdivisions of some 
        States from meeting the mental health care needs of individuals 
        residing in such political subdivision;
            (2) in the case of a political subdivision so precluded, 
        recommends possible solutions for addressing such mental health 
        needs, including a recommended bed capacity number;
            (3) identifies best practices for compliance with the 
        recommendations developed by the Task Force;
            (4) identifies sustainable practices for helping to provide 
        services to transition individuals from mental health services 
        to sustainable recovery services, including identifying 
        workforce and housing opportunities;
            (5) identifies best practices to coordinate mental health 
        service providers and public service agencies with local law 
        enforcement agencies to address issues like homelessness;
            (6) identifies best practices that are used by mental 
        health service providers to handle patient discharge planning, 
        including linkage with community services and support;
            (7) identifies best practices that advance parity in mental 
        health and substance use disorder treatment; and
            (8) provides an analysis for alternatives to a bed capacity 
        number, such as a time limit for Federal reimbursement for 
        facilities or a time limit for patient stays in treatment.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) State.--The term ``State'' means any of the 50 States.
            (2) Task force.--The term ``Task Force'' means the Task 
        Force on Local Mental Health Needs established pursuant to this 
        section.

SEC. 3. MODERN MENTAL HEALTH FUND GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants to 10 eligible 
entities to coordinate mental health care services with qualified 
community entities described in subsection (d).
    (b) Eligibility.--To seek a grant under this section, an entity 
shall--
            (1) be--
                    (A) a psychiatric health facility; or
                    (B) an institution for mental disease; and
            (2) submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
        such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
        may require.
    (c) Geographic Diversity.--In awarding grants under this section, 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall ensure there is 
geographic diversity across the grantees.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``institution for mental diseases'' has the 
        meaning given to that term in section 1905(i) of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(i)).
            (2) The term ``qualified community entity'' means an entity 
        that meets at least one of the following:
                    (A) The entity can ensure that case management 
                provided by the entity working with a grantee under 
                this section does not exceed a ratio of 1 caseworker to 
                20 cases.
                    (B) The entity demonstrates the capacity to provide 
                services to address mental health, substance use 
                disorders and recovery services, disabling or other 
                chronic health conditions, educational and job training 
                or employment outcomes, and life skills needs 
                (including financial literacy).
                    (C) The entity can ensure stable housing, intensive 
                case management, and comprehensive services that 
                include, at minimum, mental health services, substance 
                use disorder treatment and recovery services, education 
                and job training, age-appropriate services for 
                children, and life skills training (such as financial 
                literacy training).
                    (D) The entity can coordinate with local law 
                enforcement, courts (including specialized courts), 
                probation, and other public services agencies to 
                conduct outreach and better identify at-risk or 
                homeless populations that would benefit from services 
                offered by the entity.
                    (E) The entity can coordinate with a 
                congressionally chartered veterans service 
                organization, a State, local, or Tribal veterans 
                service agency, or a nonprofit organization that has 
                historically served veterans' housing needs.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 
and each subsequent fiscal year.
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