Emergency Support for Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Services Act

Bill: 116-s-4093
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Introduced: 2020-06-29
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Disability assistance

Drug, alcohol, tobacco use

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Foreign language and bilingual programs

Health care coverage and access

Health information and medical records

Health personnel

Health programs administration and funding

Health promotion and preventive care

Medical education

Mental health
Latest action: action_date: 2020-06-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-06-29
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Emergency Support for Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Services Act</strong></p> <p>This bill requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to provide technical assistance to certain organizations to expand access to and awareness of mental health and substance use prevention and treatment services during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4093 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 29, 2020 Ms. Smith introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the establishment or operation of a center to be known as the Emergency Mental Health and Substance Use Training and Technical Assistance Center.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Emergency Support for Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Services Act . 2. Emergency mental health and substance use training and technical assistance center Subpart 3 of part B of title V of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290bb–31 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 520A ( 42 U.S.C. 290bb–32 ) the following: 520B. Emergency Mental Health and Substance Use Training and Technical Assistance Center (a) Establishment The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall establish or operate a center to be known as the Emergency Mental Health and Substance Use Training and Technical Assistance Center (referred to in this section as the Center ) to provide technical assistance and support— (1) to public or nonprofit entities seeking to establish or expand access to mental health and substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery support services, and increase awareness of such services; and (2) to public health professionals, health care professionals and support staff, essential workers (as defined by a State, Tribe, locality, or territory), and members of the public to address the trauma, stress, and mental health needs associated with an emergency period. (b) Assistance and support The assistance and support provided under subsection (a) shall include assistance and support with respect to— (1) training on identifying signs of trauma, stress, and mental health needs; (2) providing accessible resources to assist individuals and families experiencing trauma, stress, or other mental health needs during and after an emergency period; (3) providing resources for substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery designed to assist individuals and families during and after an emergency period; (4) the provision of language access services, including translation services, interpretation, or other such services for individuals with limited English speaking proficiency or individuals with disabilities; and (5) evaluation and improvement, as necessary, of the effectiveness of such services provided by public or nonprofit entities. (c) Best practices The Center shall periodically issue best practices for use by organizations seeking to provide mental health services or substance use disorder prevention, treatment, or recovery services. (d) Emergency period In this section, the term emergency period has the meaning given such term in section 1135(g)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act. (e) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 and 2021. .