[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1667 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 154
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1667
[Report No. 117-213]
To address behavioral health and well-being among health care
professionals.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 8, 2021
Ms. Wild (for herself, Mr. McKinley, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Upton, Ms.
Chu, Mr. Griffith, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Case, Mr. Van
Drew, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Timmons, Mr. Suozzi, Ms. Lee of California,
and Mr. Stanton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Energy and Commerce
December 8, 2021
Additional sponsors: Mr. Katko, Ms. Ross, Ms. Meng, Ms. Newman, Mr.
Cleaver, Mrs. Luria, Mr. Mrvan, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Ms.
Sewell, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Norton, Mr.
DeSaulnier, Mr. Trone, Mr. Auchincloss, Ms. Strickland, Mr. Bera, Mr.
Malinowski, Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois, Mrs. Axne, Ms. DelBene, Ms.
Schrier, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Carbajal, Ms. Omar, Mr. Hill, Mr.
Carson, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Manning, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Yarmuth, Mr. Bucshon,
Ms. Pingree, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Rush, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Lynch, Mr.
O'Halleran, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Ms. Dean,
Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Mann, Mr. Lamb, Mr. Levin of California,
Mr. Tonko, Mr. Vela, Ms. Underwood, Mr. Foster, Mr. Bacon, Mr.
Sarbanes, Mr. Joyce of Ohio, Ms. Porter, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Higgins of
New York, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Ruppersberger, Mrs. Kirkpatrick,
Mr. Moulton, Ms. Craig, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Burgess, Mr.
Kinzinger, Mr. Emmer, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Kuster,
Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mr. Neguse, Mrs. Demings, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Larson
of Connecticut, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Posey, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Morelle, Ms.
Matsui, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Thompson of California, Ms. Houlahan, Miss
Rice of New York, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Jacobs of New York, Miss Gonzalez-
Colon, Mr. Harder of California, Mr. Levin of Michigan, Mr. Buchanan,
Mr. Schneider, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Amodei, Mr. Phillips, Mr.
Ruiz, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Lieu, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of
Pennsylvania, Mr. Perlmutter, Ms. Spanberger, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mrs.
Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Evans, Mr.
Crist, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Costa, Ms. Herrera Beutler, Mr.
Sessions, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Soto, Mr. Bowman,
Ms. Bourdeaux, Mr. Casten, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Schrader, Mr. Vicente
Gonzalez of Texas, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Crow, Ms. Castor of
Florida, Mr. Mfume, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mrs. Fletcher, Mr.
Gottheimer, Ms. Jacobs of California, Mr. Allred, Mr. Beyer, Mrs.
Lesko, Mr. Aguilar, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Gimenez, Mr. Kind, Mr. Nadler, Mr.
Smith of Washington, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Welch, Mr. Keating, Mr.
Espaillat, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Garbarino, Mr. Kim of New Jersey, Ms.
Sanchez, Mr. Courtney, Mr. McNerney, Ms. Williams of Georgia, and Mr.
Ryan
December 8, 2021
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March
8, 2021]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To address behavioral health and well-being among health care
professionals.
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 ``Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider
Protection Act''.
SEC. 2. DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES.
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this Act as
the ``Secretary'') shall identify and disseminate evidence-based or
evidence-informed best practices for preventing suicide and improving
mental health and resiliency among health care professionals, and for
training health care professionals in appropriate strategies to promote
their mental health. Such best practices shall include recommendations
related to preventing suicide and improving mental health and
resiliency among health care professionals.
SEC. 3. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS INITIATIVE ENCOURAGING USE OF MENTAL
HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES BY HEALTH CARE
PROFESSIONALS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with relevant
stakeholders, including medical professional associations, shall
establish a national evidence-based or evidence-informed education and
awareness initiative--
(1) to encourage health care professionals to seek support
and care for their mental health or substance use concerns, to
help such professionals identify risk factors associated with
suicide and mental health conditions, and to help such
professionals learn how best to respond to such risks, with the
goal of preventing suicide, mental health conditions, and
substance use disorders; and
(2) to address stigma associated with seeking mental health
and substance use disorder services.
(b) Reporting.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives an update on the
activities and outcomes of the initiative under subsection (a),
including a description of quantitative and qualitative metrics used to
evaluate such activities and outcomes.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2022 through 2024.
SEC. 4. PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
WORKFORCE.
Subpart I of part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C.. 294n et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 764. PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE HEALTH
PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE.
``(a) Programs to Promote Mental Health Among Health Care
Professionals.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants or
contracts to health care entities, including entities that
provide health care services, such as hospitals, community
health centers, and rural health clinics, or to medical
professional associations, to establish or enhance evidence-
based or evidence-informed programs dedicated to improving
mental health and resiliency for health care professionals.
``(2) Use of funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant
or contract under this subsection shall use funds received
through the grant or contract to implement a new program or
enhance an existing program to promote mental health among
health care professionals, which may include--
``(A) improving awareness among health care
professionals about risk factors for, and signs of,
suicide and mental health or substance use disorders,
in accordance with evidence-based or evidence-informed
practices;
``(B) establishing new, or enhancing existing,
evidence-based or evidence-informed programs for
preventing suicide and improving mental health and
resiliency among health care professionals;
``(C) establishing new, or enhancing existing,
peer-support programs among health care professionals;
or
``(D) providing mental health care, follow-up
services and care, or referral for such services and
care, as appropriate.
``(3) Priority.--In awarding grants and contracts under
this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible
entities in health professional shortage areas or rural areas.
``(b) Training Grants.--The Secretary may establish a program to
award grants to health professions schools, academic health centers,
State or local governments, Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations, or
other appropriate public or private nonprofit entities (or consortia of
entities, including entities promoting multidisciplinary approaches) to
support the training of health care students, residents, or health care
professionals in evidence-based or evidence-informed strategies to
address mental and substance use disorders and improve mental health
and resiliency among health care professionals.
``(c) Grant Terms.--A grant or contract awarded under subsection
(a) or (b) shall be for a period of 3 years.
``(d) Application Submission.--An entity seeking a grant or
contract under subsection (a) or (b) shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such
information as the Secretary may require.
``(e) Reporting.--An entity awarded a grant or contract under
subsection (a) or (b) shall periodically submit to the Secretary a
report evaluating the activities supported by the grant or contract.
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section
and section 5 of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection
Act, there are authorized to be appropriated $35,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2022 through 2024.''.
SEC. 5. REVIEW WITH RESPECT TO HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH
AND RESILIENCY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with relevant stakeholders,
shall--
(1) conduct a review on improving health care professional
mental health and the outcomes of programs authorized under
this Act; and
(2) submit a report to the Congress on the results of such
review.
(b) Considerations.--The review under subsection (a) shall take
into account--
(1) the prevalence and severity of mental health conditions
among health professionals, and factors that contribute to
those mental health conditions;
(2) barriers to seeking and accessing mental health care
for health care professionals, which may include consideration
of stigma and licensing concerns, and actions taken by State
licensing boards, schools for health professionals, health care
professional training associations, hospital associations, or
other organizations, as appropriate, to address such barriers;
(3) the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency on
the mental health of health care professionals and lessons
learned for future public health emergencies;
(4) factors that promote mental health and resiliency among
health care professionals, including programs or strategies to
strengthen mental health and resiliency among health care
professionals; and
(5) the efficacy of health professional training programs
that promote resiliency and improve mental health.
(c) Recommendations.--The review under subsection (a), as
appropriate, shall identify best practices related to, and make
recommendations to address--
(1) improving mental health and resiliency among health
care professionals;
(2) removing barriers to mental health care for health care
professionals; and
(3) strategies to promote resiliency among health care
professionals in health care settings.
SEC. 6. GAO REPORT.
Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Congress a
report on the extent to which Federal substance use disorder and mental
health grant programs address the prevalence and severity of mental
health conditions and substance use disorders among health
professionals. Such report shall--
(1) include an analysis of available evidence and data
related to such conditions and programs; and
(2) assess whether there are duplicative goals and
objectives among such grant programs.
Union Calendar No. 154
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1667
[Report No. 117-213]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To address behavioral health and well-being among health care
professionals.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 8, 2021
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed