Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act

Bill: 118-s-1700
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2023-05-18
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Executive agency funding and structure

Government information and archives

Government studies and investigations

Health promotion and preventive care

Medical education

Mental health

Minority health

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Racial and ethnic relations
Latest action: action_date: 2023-05-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-05-18
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act</b></p> <p>This bill sets out activities and modifies existing programs to address racial and ethnic mental health disparities.</p> <p>Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must implement a strategy for promoting behavioral and mental health and reducing stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance use disorder among racial and ethnic minority groups. HHS must consult with appropriate advocacy groups and behavioral health organizations on this strategy. Additionally, HHS must seek to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for a study on research gaps related to mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups.</p> <p>Modifications to existing programs include (1) permitting HHS to prioritize health care facilities that serve a high proportion of racial and ethnic minority groups when awarding grants for integrating physical and behavioral health care, and (2) extending the authorization for the grants from FY2027 through FY2029. The bill also permits the use of funds available through the Minority Fellowship Program for developing best practices or core competencies to address mental health disparities in curricula for training social workers, psychologists, and other behavioral health professionals. (This program supports the education and training of minority students who are studying for advanced degrees in a mental or behavioral health profession.)</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1700 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 18, 2023 Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Carper , Mr. Padilla , Ms. Stabenow , Ms. Smith , Mr. Blumenthal , Mr. Booker , Mr. Heinrich , Mr. Murphy , and Ms. Warren ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To address mental health issues for youth, particularly youth of color, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act . 2. Primary and Behavioral Health Care grant program Section 520K of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290bb–42 ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (d) through (i) as subsections (e) through (j), respectively; (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following: (d) Special consideration regarding services for racial and ethnic minority groups In awarding grants under subsection (b), the Secretary may, as appropriate, give special consideration to eligible entities serving a high proportion of racial and ethnic minority groups. ; (3) in subsection (c)(2)(G), by striking subsection (e) and inserting subsection (f) ; (4) in subsection (h)— (A) by striking subsection (f) and inserting subsection (g) ; and (B) by striking subsection (d)(2) and inserting subsection (e)(2) ; and (5) in subsection (j)(1) (as redesignated by paragraph (1)), by striking $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027 and inserting $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2023 and $80,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029 . 3. Addressing racial and ethnic minority mental health disparities research gaps Not later than 9 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, in consultation with the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and the Assistant Secretary of Substance Use and Mental Health, shall enter into an arrangement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (or, if the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine decline to enter into such an arrangement, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, or another appropriate entity)— (1) to conduct a study with respect to mental health disparities research gaps in racial and ethnic minority groups (as defined in section 1707(g) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300u–6(g) )); and (2) to submit to the Congress a report on the results of such study, including— (A) a compilation of information on the prevalence of mental health outcomes in such racial and ethnic minority groups; and (B) an assessment of information on the impact of exposure to community violence, adverse childhood experiences, structural bias, and other psychological traumas on mental health outcomes in such racial and minority groups. 4. Health professions competencies to address racial and ethnic minority mental health disparities Section 597 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290ll ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following: (b) Best practices; core competencies An individual or entity receiving a grant under subsection (a) may use the funds to engage in the following activities related to the development and dissemination of best practices or core competencies addressing mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups for use in the training of students in the professions of social work, psychology, psychiatry, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, and substance misuse counseling: (1) Formation of committees or working groups comprised of experts from accredited health professions schools to identify best practices and core competencies relating to mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups. (2) Planning of workshops in national fora to allow for public input into the educational needs associated with mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups. (3) Dissemination and promotion of the use of best practices or core competencies in undergraduate and graduate health professions training programs nationwide. (4) Establishing external advisory boards to provide meaningful input into policy and program development and best practices to reduce mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups. . 5. Racial and ethnic minority behavioral and mental health outreach and education strategy Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290dd et seq. ) is amended by inserting after section 552 ( 42 U.S.C. 290ee–7 ) of such Act the following: 554. Behavioral and mental health outreach and education strategy (a) In general The Secretary shall, in consultation with advocacy and behavioral and mental health organizations serving racial and ethnic minority groups, develop and implement an outreach and education strategy to promote behavioral and mental health and reduce stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance use among racial and ethnic minority groups. Such strategy shall— (1) be designed to— (A) meet the diverse cultural and language needs of the various racial and ethnic minority groups; and (B) be developmentally and age-appropriate; (2) increase awareness of symptoms of mental illnesses common among such groups, taking into account differences within at-risk subgroups; (3) provide information on evidence-based, culturally and linguistically appropriate and adapted interventions and treatments; (4) ensure full participation of, and engage, both consumers and community members, which may include adolescents and young adults, in the development and implementation of materials; and (5) seek to broaden the perspective among both individuals in these groups and communities serving these groups to use a comprehensive and integrated public health approach to promoting behavioral health by focusing on the intersection between behavioral and physical health. (b) Reports Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress, and make publicly available, a report on the extent to which the strategy developed and implemented under subsection (a) addressed behavioral and mental health outcomes associated with mental health conditions and substance use among racial and ethnic minority groups. (c) Definition In this section, the term racial and ethnic minority group has the meaning given to that term in section 1707(g). (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029. . 6. Additional funds for National Institutes of Health (a) In general In addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to the National Institutes of Health, there is authorized to be appropriated to such Institutes $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029 to— (1) build relations with communities and conduct or support clinical research, including clinical research on racial or ethnic disparities in physical and mental health; and (2) to carry out the Strategic Framework For Addressing Youth Mental Health Disparities developed by the National Institute of Mental Health. (b) Definition In this section, the term clinical research has the meaning given to such term in section 409 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 284d ). 7. Additional funds for National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities In addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, there is authorized to be appropriated to such Institute $750,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029. 8. Technical correction Title V of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290aa et seq. ) is amended— (1) by redesignating the second section 550 ( 42 U.S.C. 290ee–10 ) (relating to Sobriety Treatment And Recovery Teams) as section 553; and (2) by moving such section, as so redesignated, so as to appear after section 552 ( 42 U.S.C. 290ee–7 ).