Establishing a Network of Health-Advancing National Centers of Excellence for Depression Act of 2009

Bill: 111-s-1857
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2009-10-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care coverage and access
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical education
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Mental health

Summary:
action_date: 2009-10-22
text: 
Establishing a Network of Health-Advancing National Centers of Excellence for Depression Act of 2009 or the ENHANCED Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to award grants on a competitive basis to institutions of higher education or public or private nonprofit research institutions to establish national centers of excellence for depression to engage in activities related to the treatment of depressive disorders. 
 
Lists priority criteria for grant recipients, including location in a geographic area with disproportionate numbers of underserved and at-risk populations in medically underserved areas and health professional shortage areas. 
 
Directs the Secretary to allocate appropriated funds so that up to 30 centers may be established by September 30, 2016. Authorizes the the Secretary to select centers to specialize in: (1) subspecialties such as prepartum and postpartum depression, traumatic stress disorder, suicidal tendency, bipolar disorder, and depression; and (2) providing mental health services to communities with problems of access. 
 
Sets forth required activities of such centers, including to: (1) integrate basic, clinical, or health services interdisciplinary research and practice in the development of evidence-based interventions; (2) provide training and technical assistance to mental health professionals, facilitate the communication of research findings and depressive disorder-related information to the public, and provide education about depressive disorders; (3) collaborate to develop and implement treatment standards, clinical guidelines, and protocols to improve the accuracy and timeliness of diagnosis of depressive disorders and treatment standards that emphasize early intervention and treatment for, prevention of, and recovery from depressive disorders; (4) incorporate principles of chronic care coordination and integration of services that address physical, mental, and social conditions in the treatment of depressive disorders; and (5) demonstrate effective use of a public-private partnership to foster collaborations among centers and community-based organizations and social and human services providers.
 
 
Requires the Secretary to designate one grant recipient as a coordinating center, which shall establish and maintain a national, publicly available database to improve prevention programs, evidence-based interventions, and disease management programs for depressive disorders. 
 
Directs the Secretary, through the Administrator, to: (1) establish performance standards; and (2) issue a report card for each center to the coordinating center and periodically to Congress. Urges that the knowledge and research developed by the centers be disseminated broadly within the medical community and the federal government.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-10-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-10-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10704-10705)
action_date: 2009-10-22
text: Introduced in Senate