Defending Access to Mental Health Care Act

Bill: 116-s-1668
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2019-05-23
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health

Health care coverage and access

Health facilities and institutions

Health personnel

Mental health
Latest action: action_date: 2019-05-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-05-23
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Defending Access to Mental Health Care Act</b></p> <p>This bill expands the National Health Service Corps Program to include service in pediatric inpatient mental health facilities (such facilities may qualify as health professional shortage areas under the program).</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1668 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 23 (legislative day, May 22), 2019 Mr. Tester introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To clarify that participants in the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program may be assigned to serve in pediatric inpatient mental health facilities.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Defending Access to Mental Health Care Act . 2. Provision of primary care health professionals at pediatric inpatient mental health facilities (a) Health professional shortage area medical facilities Section 332(a)(2)(A) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254e(a)(2)(A) ) is amended by inserting pediatric inpatient mental health facility that is certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, after community mental health center, . (b) Assignment of Corps members Section 338B(a) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254l–1(a) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ; and and inserting ; ; (2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: (2) an adequate supply of mental health professionals at pediatric inpatient mental health facilities that are certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; and .