Title: Crisis Care Enhancement Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Crisis Care Enhancement Act
This bill requires states to support evidence-based crisis care services, such as crisis call centers, through the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG). In addition, for each year in which the appropriations for that grant exceed a specified amount, states must expend a certain percentage of their MHBG allotment on crisis care services.
Additionally, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration may permit states and territories to use MHBG funding on crisis care services for individuals who are not part of the grant's target population. Currently, the MHBG targets adults with serious mental illnesses and children with serious emotional disturbances.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4305 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4305

To amend the Community Mental Health Service Block Grant to authorize a 
      set-aside for crisis care services, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 1, 2021

    Mrs. Bustos (for herself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Mr. Gottheimer) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Community Mental Health Service Block Grant to authorize a 
      set-aside for crisis care services, 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 ``Crisis Care Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) for patients with mental health issues, coordination of 
        physical and mental health services and cooperation with law 
        enforcement are essential to ensure timely, appropriate care; 
        and
            (2) crisis care networks established at State and local 
        levels have saved resources and shown improved outcomes for 
        patients in crisis.

SEC. 3. EVIDENCE-BASED CRISIS CARE PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1912(b)(1) of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 300x-1(b)(1))--
            (1) in subparagraph (A)--
                    (A) by redesignating clauses (vi) and (vii) as 
                clauses (vii) and (viii), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after clause (v), the following:
                            ``(vi) include a description of how the 
                        State supports evidenced-based programs that 
                        address the crisis care needs of individuals 
                        with serious mental disorders, and children 
                        with serious mental and emotional disturbances, 
                        that include at least one of the core 
                        components specified in subparagraph (F);''; 
                        and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(F) Core components for crisis care services.--
                The core components of a program referred to in 
                subparagraph (A)(vi) include the following:
                            ``(i) Crisis call centers.
                            ``(ii) 24/7 mobile crisis services.
                            ``(iii) Crisis stabilization programs 
                        offering acute care or sub-acute care in a 
                        hospital or appropriately licensed facility, 
                        with referrals to inpatient or outpatient care, 
                        as determined by the Assistant Secretary for 
                        Mental Health and Substance Use.''.
    (b) Set-Aside for Evidence-Based Crisis Care Services.--Section 
1920 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x-9) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Crisis Care.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (3), a 
        State shall expend at least 10 percent of the allotment of the 
        State pursuant to a funding agreement under section 1911 for 
        each fiscal year to support programs described in section 
        1912(b)(1)(A)(vi).
            ``(2) State flexibility.--In lieu of expending 10 percent 
        of the State's allotment for a fiscal year as required by 
        paragraph (1), a State may elect to expend not less than 20 
        percent of such amount by the end of two consecutive fiscal 
        years.
            ``(3) Funding contingency.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply 
        with respect to a fiscal year unless the amount made available 
        to carry out this section for that fiscal year exceeds the 
        amount appropriated to carry out this section for fiscal year 
        2021 by at least $37,257,100.
            ``(4) Waiver.--A State may, pursuant to a waiver granted by 
        the Secretary of any requirements under this subpart (including 
        requirements imposed by a funding agreement under section 
        1911), use funds set aside under this subsection to provide 
        services described in section 1912(b)(1)(A)(vi) to individuals 
        in such State who do not meet the criteria to be considered 
        with serious mental disorders or children with serious mental 
        and emotional disturbances.''.
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