HR 6375 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide assistance to adolescents and young adults with serious mental health disorders as they transition to adulthood.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

June 25, 2008CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. STARK (for himself and Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide assistance to adolescents and young adults with serious mental health disorders as they transition to adulthood.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Healthy Transition Act of 2008’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. HEALTHY TRANSITIONING FOR YOUTH.

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 adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 520K. HEALTHY TRANSITIONING FOR YOUTH.

‘(a) Planning Grants-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary, in consultation with the agencies described in subsection (c)(3), shall award grants or cooperative agreements to States to develop plans for the statewide coordination of services to assist adolescents and young adults with a serious mental health disorder in acquiring the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to ensure their healthy transition to successful adult roles and responsibilities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) APPLICATION- To be eligible for a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection, a State shall submit to the Secretary an application, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) PLAN- Not later than 18 months after the receipt of a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection, a State shall submit to the Secretary a State plan that shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) reliable estimates on the number of adolescents and young adults with serious mental health disorders in the State;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) information on the youth targeted under this Act, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) the number of adolescents and young adults with serious mental health disorders in the State and the number of such individuals who are currently being served in the State;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) the number of such individuals who are receiving mental health services provided by State agencies other than the agency responsible for mental health services in the State;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) the number of youth with serious mental health disorders who are involved in the juvenile justice system in the State;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iv) the number of youth with serious mental health disorders who are involved in the child protection system in the State;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(v) the number of youth with serious mental health disorders who have plans in effect under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in the State;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(vi) the number of youth with serious mental health disorders who are involved in vocational rehabilitation in the State;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(vii) the range of ages served by the programs described in clauses (i) through (vi); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(viii) a description of the overall transition coordination that is currently provided by the State or local authorities and programs in the State;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) an identification of the skills, knowledge, and resources that adolescents and young adults with serious mental health disorders in the State will need to ensure their successful and healthy transition into adult roles and responsibilities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) an identification of the obstacles that adolescents and young adults with serious mental health disorders in the State encounter while transitioning into adult roles and responsibilities, including breaks in service or programs caused by eligibility and program criteria differences between the child and adult mental health systems and the lack of local access to mental health and transition services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) an identification of the current level, type, quality, effectiveness, and availability of services, including evidence-based practices, available in the State that are uniquely designed for adolescents and young adults with a serious mental health disorder to ensure a healthy transition to successful adult roles and responsibilities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(F) an identification of adolescents and young adults with a serious emotional disorder who have a low likelihood of a healthy and successful transition due to the severity of their illness, and an identification of how the State will provide treatment and other support services to this population;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(G) an analyses of the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps of the current system in the State, including the availability of lack of mental health professionals trained to treat adolescents and young adults with a serious mental health disorder, as well as barriers, to address the needs of adolescents and young adults with a serious mental health disorder with an appropriate array of effective services and supports;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(H) a description of how the State will improve the system of care to ensure successful and healthy transitions;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(I) a description of how the State will coordinate the services of State and non-State agencies that serve adolescents and young adults with a serious mental health disorder;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(J) a description of how the State will provide a system of coordinated service delivery under the grant or cooperative agreement that will address the effective services, supports, and unique needs of adolescents and young adults with a serious mental disorder, including those who have been placed in out of home settings such as the juvenile justice system or those who are or were involved in the child protection systems;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(K) a description of how the State will coordinate efforts under the grant or cooperative agreement with existing services and systems in the State that focus on life skills necessary for a healthy transition including health, employment and pre-employment training, transportation, housing, recreation, mental health services, substance abuse, vocational rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities, and training for adolescents, young adults and adults, consumers and their families;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(L) a description of how the State will work to build workforce capacity to serve the population described in subparagraph (J);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(M) a description of how the State will reach out to the target population pre-transition, during transition, and post-transition;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(N) a description of how the State is currently utilizing and leveraging (and how the State will use and leverage) Federal funding streams to care for the target population, including funding through Medicaid, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Labor though supported employment, the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program, and other programs, and including an outline of the barriers the State faces in making Federal funding flow to the targeted population in a coordinated manner;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(O) a description of how the State will involve adolescents and young adults with serious mental health disorders and their families and guardians in the service design, planning, and implementation of the plan under the grant or cooperative agreement;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(P) an implementation subplan that shall be designed to recognize the challenges of implementing a program between communities at a statewide level and how the State will overcome those challenges;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(Q) a description of how the State plans to evaluate outcomes under the program funded under the grant or cooperative agreement;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(R) a designation of the State office that will be the lead agency responsible for administering the program under the grant or cooperative agreement;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(S) a description of how the State will ensure that the activities planned under the grant or cooperative agreement will remain sustainable at the end of the cycle of Federal funding under this section; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(T) any other information determined appropriate by the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) DURATION OF SUPPORT- The duration of a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection shall not exceed 2 fiscal years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- The Secretary shall provide technical assistance and training in the development of the plan under paragraph (3), including convening a meeting of potential applicants for grants or cooperative agreement under this subsection.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) IN GENERAL- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2013.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- The Secretary shall make available 15 percent of the amount appropriated under subparagraph (A) in each fiscal year for technical assistance under paragraph (5).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Implementation Grants-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall award grants or cooperative agreement to eligible States for the coordination of services to assist adolescents and young adults with serious mental health disorders in acquiring the services, skills, and knowledge necessary to ensure their healthy transition to successful adult roles and responsibilities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) ELIGIBILITY- To be eligible for a grant or cooperative agreement under paragraph (1), a State shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) be a State that has received a grant or cooperative agreement under subsection (a) and submitted a plan that meets the requirements of paragraph (3) of such subsection; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) be a State that has not received such a grant or cooperative agreement but that has a plan that is equivalent to the plan required under subsection (a)(3).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) APPLICATION- To be eligible for a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection, a State shall submit to the Secretary an application, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary requires, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) a copy of the plan submitted under subsection (a)(3), or in the case of a State described in paragraph (2)(B), a plan that is equivalent to the plan required under subsection (a)(3);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) a list of the State agencies that will participate in the program to be funded under the grant or cooperative agreement along with written verification as to the commitment of such agencies to the program;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) an assurance that the State will develop a coordinating committee composed of representatives of the participating State agencies, as well as consumers and families of consumers;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) a description of the role of such coordinating committee; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) the names of at least two local communities that will implement the program at the local level and how those communities will implement the State plan.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) USE OF FUNDS- Funds provided under a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection shall be used to implement the State plan, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) facilitating a youth ombudsman or other advocacy program;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) facilitating peer support programs and networks within the State;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) facilitating access to independent living and life skills supports;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) developing infrastructure to support access to necessary health, mental health, employment, education, and housing supports; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) facilitating the training of support providers and workforce capacity to serve the target population.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) DURATION OF SUPPORT- The duration of a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection shall not exceed 5 fiscal years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) MATCHING REQUIREMENT-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) IN GENERAL- To be eligible for a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection, the State shall agree that, with respect to the costs to be incurred by the State in carrying out activities under the grant or cooperative agreement, the State will make available (directly or through donations from public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward such costs in an amount that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) for the first fiscal year for which the State receives payments under the grant or cooperative agreement, is not less than $1 for each $3 of Federal funds provided under the grant or cooperative agreement;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) for any second or third such fiscal year, is not less than $1 for each $2 of Federal funds provided under the grant or cooperative agreement;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) for any fourth such fiscal year, is not less than $1 for each $1 of Federal funds provided under the grant or cooperative agreement; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iv) for any fifth such fiscal year, is not less than $2 for each $1 of Federal funds provided under the grant or cooperative agreement.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT CONTRIBUTED-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) IN GENERAL- Non-Federal contributions required under subparagraph (A) may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services. Amounts provided by the Federal Government, or services assisted or subsidized to any significant extent by the Federal Government, may not be included in determining the amount of such non-Federal contributions.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) NON-FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS- In making a determination of the amount of non-Federal contributions for purposes of clause (i), the Secretary may include only non-Federal contributions in excess of the average amount of non-Federal contributions made by the State involved toward the purpose of the grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection for the 2-year period preceding the first fiscal year for which the State receives a grant or cooperative agreement under such subsection.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(7) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- The Secretary shall provide technical assistance and training to recipients of grants or cooperative agreements under this subsection, including convening meetings each year to identify ways of improving State programs. Such meetings shall include the members of the Federal Partners Committee under subsection (c).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(8) EVALUATION- The Secretary shall carry out a cross-site evaluation that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) reports on current State efforts to transition the population involved prior to the implementation of the State plans under this section; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) evaluates the program carried out by the State under this section to determine the effectiveness of such program in meeting its goals and objectives as compared with current approaches.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(9) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) IN GENERAL- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010, $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, and $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EVALUATION- The Secretary shall make available 15 percent of the amount appropriated under subparagraph (A), or $2,000,000 whichever is greater, in each fiscal year for technical assistance under paragraph (7) and the evaluation under paragraph (8).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Federal Partners-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall designate an existing Federal entity, or establish a Committee of Federal Partners, to coordinate service programs to assist adolescents and young adults with serious mental health disorders in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary for them to transition into adult roles and responsibilities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) EXISTING FEDERAL ENTITY- If the Secretary elects to utilize an existing Federal entity under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) such entity is comprised of representatives of at least the agencies described in paragraph (3); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) such entity shall give special attention to the knowledge and skills needed by adolescents and young adults with mental health disorders in coordinating the programs funded under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) MEMBERSHIP- A Federal entity utilized under this subsection, or a committee established under paragraph (1), shall include representatives of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) the Department of Education (or any subagency of the Department);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) the Department of Health and Human Services (or any subagency of the Department);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) the Department of Labor (or any subagency of the Department);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) the Department of Transportation (or any subagency of the Department);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) the Department of Housing and Urban Development (or any subagency of the Department);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(F) the Department of Interior (or any subagency of the Department);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(G) the Department of Justice (or any subagency of the Department);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(H) the Social Security Administration;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(I) an organization representing consumers and families of consumers as designated by the Secretary; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(J) an organization representing mental health and behavioral health professionals as designated by the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) ROLE OF ENTITY OR COMMITTEE- The Federal entity or committee designated or established under paragraph (1) shall review how Federal programs and efforts that address issues related to the transition of adolescents and young adults with serious mental health disorders may be coordinated to ensure the maximum benefit for the individuals being served and to provide technical assistance to the States who are planning or implementing programs under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) REPORT- Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal entity or committee designated or established under paragraph (1) shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, and make available to the general public, a report concerning the participation of Federal agencies and stakeholders in the planning and operations of the entity or committee. Such report shall also contain a description of the status of the efforts of such entity or committee in coordinating Federal efforts on behalf of the target population.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2013.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Definition- In this section, the term ‘serious mental health disorder’ has the meaning given the term ‘serious mental illness’ by the Administrator for purposes of this title.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink