HR 1932 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To increase the number of well-trained mental health service professionals (including those based in schools) providing clinical mental health care to children and adolescents, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

April 2, 2009CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, and Mr. LEWIS of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To increase the number of well-trained mental health service professionals (including those based in schools) providing clinical mental health care to children and adolescents, and for other purposes.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 ‘Child Health Care Crisis Relief Act of 2009’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) The Center for Mental Health Services estimates that 20 percent or 13,700,000 of the Nation’s children and adolescents have a diagnosable mental disorder, and about 2/3 of these children and adolescents do not receive mental health care.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) According to ‘Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General’ in 1999, there are approximately 6,000,000 to 9,000,000 children and adolescents in the United States (accounting for 9 to 13 percent of all children and adolescents in the United States) who meet the definition for having a serious emotional disturbance.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) According to the Center for Mental Health Services, approximately 5 to 9 percent of United States children and adolescents meet the definition for extreme functional impairment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) According to the Surgeon General’s Report, there are particularly acute shortages in the numbers of mental health service professionals serving children and adolescents with serious emotional disorders.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) According to the National Center for Education Statistics in the Department of Education, there are approximately 479 students for each school counselor in United States schools, which ratio is almost double the recommended ratio of 250 students for each school counselor.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) According to the Bureau of Health Professions in 2000, the demand for the services of child and adolescent psychiatry is projected to increase by 100 percent by 2020.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) The development and application of knowledge about the impact of disasters on children, adolescents, and their families has been impeded by critical shortages of qualified researchers and practitioners specializing in this work.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) According to the Bureau of the Census, the population of children and adolescents in the United States under the age of 18 is projected to grow by more than 40 percent in the next 50 years from 70 million to more than 100 million by 2050.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) There are approximately 7,000 child and adolescent psychiatrists in the United States. Only 300 child and adolescent psychiatrists complete training each year.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(10) According to the Department of Health and Human Services, racial and ethnic minority representation is lacking in the mental health workforce. Although 12 percent of the United States population is African-American, only 2 percent of psychologists, 2 percent of psychiatrists, and 4 percent of social workers are African-American providers. Moreover, there are only 29 Hispanic mental health professionals for every 100,000 Hispanics in the United States, compared with 173 non-Hispanic white providers per 100,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(11) According to a 2006 study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the national shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists affects poor children and adolescents living in rural areas the hardest.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(12) According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the ‘U.S. mental health system is not well equipped to meet the needs of racial and ethnic minority populations’. This is quite evident in access to care issues involving racial and ethnic minority children. Studies have shown that there are striking racial and ethnic differences in the utilization of mental health services among children and youth. Overall, mental health services meet the needs of 31 percent of non-minority children, but only 13 percent of minority children (Ringel, J.S. & Sturm, R. (2001). National estimates of mental health utilization and expenditures for children. Journal of Behavioral Health and Research, 28, 319-333).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(13) According to the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, 70 percent of youth involved in State and local juvenile justice systems throughout the country suffer from mental disorders, with at least 20 percent experiencing symptoms so severe that their ability to function is significantly impaired.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(14) The Institute of Medicine, in a report entitled ‘Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental and Substance-Use Disorders, Quality Chasm Series’ (2006), recommended that clinicians and patients communicate effectively and share information to ensure high-quality care, which is enhanced with education programs that allow families and consumers to share information with mental health providers about the lived experience of mental illness.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. LOAN REPAYMENTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND GRANTS TO IMPROVE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE.

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:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘Subpart 3--Child and Adolescent Mental Health Care

‘SEC. 771. LOAN REPAYMENTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND GRANTS TO IMPROVE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE.

‘(a) Loan Repayments for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Professionals-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, may establish a program of entering into contracts on a competitive basis with eligible individuals under which--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) the eligible individual agrees to be employed full-time for a specified period (which shall be at least 2 years) in providing mental health services to children and adolescents; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) the Secretary agrees to make, during not more than 3 years of the period of employment described in subparagraph (A), partial or total payments on behalf of the individual on the principal and interest due on the undergraduate and graduate educational loans of the eligible individual.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL- For purposes of this section, the term ‘eligible individual’ means an individual who--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) is receiving specialized training or clinical experience in child and adolescent mental health in psychiatry, psychology, school psychology, behavioral pediatrics, psychiatric nursing, social work, school social work, marriage and family therapy, school counseling, or professional counseling and has less than 1 year remaining before completion of such training or clinical experience; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B)(i) has a license or certification in a State to practice allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, psychology, school psychology, psychiatric nursing, social work, school social work, marriage and family therapy, school counseling, or professional counseling; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii)(I) is a mental health service professional who completed (but not before the end of the calendar year in which this section is enacted) specialized training or clinical experience in child and adolescent mental health described in subparagraph (A); orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(II) is a physician who graduated from (but not before the end of the calendar year in which this section is enacted) an accredited child and adolescent psychiatry residency or fellowship program in the United States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS- The Secretary may not enter into a contract under this subsection with an eligible individual unless--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) the individual is a United States citizen or a permanent legal United States resident; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) if the individual is enrolled in a graduate program (including a medical residency or fellowship), the program is accredited, and the individual has an acceptable level of academic standing (as determined by the Secretary).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) PRIORITY- In entering into contracts under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants who--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) demonstrate a commitment to working with high-priority populations in a medically underserved community;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) are located in or are from a medically underserved community;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) are working with high-priority populations;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) have familiarity with evidence-based methods and cultural competence in child and adolescent mental health services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) demonstrate financial need; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(F) are or will be working in the publicly funded sector, particularly in community mental health programs described in section 1913(b)(1).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) MEANINGFUL LOAN REPAYMENT- If the Secretary determines that funds appropriated for a fiscal year to carry out this subsection are not sufficient to allow a meaningful loan repayment to all expected applicants, the Secretary shall limit the number of contracts entered into under paragraph (1) to ensure that each such contract provides for a meaningful loan repayment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) AMOUNT-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) MAXIMUM- For each year that the Secretary agrees to make payments on behalf of an individual under a contract entered into under paragraph (1), the Secretary may agree to pay not more than $35,000 on behalf of the individual.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) CONSIDERATION- In determining the amount of payments to be made on behalf of an eligible individual under a contract to be entered into under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the eligible individual’s income and debt load.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(7) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS- The provisions of sections 338E and 338F shall apply to the program established under paragraph (1) to the same extent and in the same manner as such provisions apply to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program established in subpart III of part D of title III.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(8) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Scholarships for Students Studying To Become Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Professionals-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, may establish a program to award scholarships on a competitive basis to eligible students who agree to enter into full-time employment (as described in paragraph (4)(C)) as a child and adolescent mental health service professional after graduation or completion of a residency or fellowship.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) ELIGIBLE STUDENT- For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘eligible student’ means a United States citizen or a permanent legal United States resident who--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) is enrolled or accepted to be enrolled in an accredited graduate program that includes specialized training or clinical experience in child and adolescent mental health in psychology, school psychology, psychiatric nursing, behavioral pediatrics, social work, school social work, marriage and family therapy, school counseling, or professional counseling and, if enrolled, has an acceptable level of academic standing (as determined by the Secretary); orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B)(i) is enrolled or accepted to be enrolled in an accredited graduate training program of allopathic or osteopathic medicine in the United States and, if enrolled, has an acceptable level of academic standing (as determined by the Secretary); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) intends to complete an accredited residency or fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry or behavioral pediatrics.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) PRIORITY- In awarding scholarships under this subsection, the Secretary shall give--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) highest priority to applicants who previously received a scholarship under this subsection and satisfy the criteria described in subparagraph (B); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) second highest priority to applicants who--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) demonstrate a commitment to working with high-priority populations in a medically underserved community, including students from such populations;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) are located in or are from a medically underserved community;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) have familiarity with evidence-based methods in child and adolescent mental health services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iv) demonstrate financial need; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(v) are or will be working in the publicly funded sector, particularly in community mental health programs described in section 1913(b)(1).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) REQUIREMENTS- The Secretary may award a scholarship to an eligible student under this subsection only if the eligible student agrees--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) to complete any graduate training program, internship, residency, or fellowship applicable to that eligible student under paragraph (2);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) to maintain an acceptable level of academic standing (as determined by the Secretary) during the completion of such graduate training program, internship, residency, or fellowship; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) to be employed full-time after graduation or completion of a residency or fellowship, for at least the number of years for which a scholarship is received by the eligible student under this subsection, in providing mental health services to children and adolescents.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) USE OF SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS- A scholarship awarded to an eligible student for a school year under this subsection may be used only to pay for tuition expenses of the school year, other reasonable educational expenses (including fees, books, and laboratory expenses incurred by the eligible student in the school year), and reasonable living expenses, as such tuition expenses, reasonable educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses are determined by the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) AMOUNT- The amount of a scholarship under this subsection shall not exceed the total amount of the tuition expenses, reasonable educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses described in paragraph (5).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(7) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS- The provisions of sections 338E and 338F shall apply to the program established under paragraph (1) to the same extent and in the same manner as such provisions apply to the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program established in subpart III of part D of title III.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(8) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Clinical Training Grants for Professionals-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, in cooperation with the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, may establish a program to award grants on a competitive basis to accredited institutions of higher education, or accredited professional training programs, to establish or expand internships or other field placement programs for students receiving specialized training or clinical experience in child and adolescent mental health in psychiatry, psychology, school psychology, behavioral pediatrics, psychiatric nursing, social work, school social work, marriage and family therapy, school counseling, or professional counseling.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) PRIORITY- In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) have demonstrated the ability to collect data on the number of students trained in child and adolescent mental health and the populations served by such students after graduation;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) have demonstrated familiarity with evidence-based methods in child and adolescent mental health services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) have programs designed to increase the number of professionals serving high-priority populations;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) are located in medically underserved communities; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) offer curricula that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) are taught with the collaboration of consumers, family members, or consumer and family organizations; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) include coursework on the perspectives and life experience of mental health consumers and family members and the importance of the family-professional partnership.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) REQUIREMENTS- The Secretary may award a grant to an applicant under this subsection only if the applicant agrees that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) any internship or other field placement program assisted under the grant will prioritize cultural and linguistic competency;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) students benefitting from any assistance under this subsection will be United States citizens or permanent legal United States residents;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) the institution will provide to the Secretary such data, assurances, and information as the Secretary may require; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) with respect to any violation of the agreement between the Secretary and the institution, the institution will pay such liquidated damages as prescribed by the Secretary by regulation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) APPLICATION- The Secretary shall require that any application for a grant under this subsection include a description of the applicant’s experience working with child and adolescent mental health issues.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Progressive Education Grants for Paraprofessionals-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, in cooperation with the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, may establish a program to award grants on a competitive basis to State-licensed mental health nonprofit and for-profit organizations (including accredited institutions of higher education) to enable such organizations to pay for programs for preservice or in-service training of paraprofessional child and adolescent mental health workers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) DEFINITION- For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘paraprofessional child and adolescent mental health worker’ means an individual who is not a mental health service professional, but who works at the first stage of contact with children and families who are seeking mental health services.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) PRIORITY- In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) have demonstrated the ability to collect data on the number of paraprofessional child and adolescent mental health workers trained by the applicant and the populations served by these workers after the completion of the training;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) have familiarity with evidence-based methods in child and adolescent mental health services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) have programs designed to increase the number of paraprofessional child and adolescent mental health workers serving high-priority populations; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) provide services through a community mental health program described in section 1913(b)(1).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) REQUIREMENTS- The Secretary may award a grant to an organization under this subsection only if the organization agrees that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) any training program assisted under the grant will prioritize cultural competency;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) the organization will provide to the Secretary such data, assurances, and information as the Secretary may require; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) with respect to any violation of the agreement between the Secretary and the organization, the organization will pay such liquidated damages as prescribed by the Secretary by regulation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) APPLICATION- The Secretary shall require that any application for a grant under this subsection include a description of the applicant’s experience working with paraprofessional child and adolescent mental health workers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Program Development Grants-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, may establish a program to increase the number of well-trained child and adolescent mental health service professionals in the United States by awarding grants on a competitive basis to accredited institutions of higher education to enable the institutions to establish or expand accredited graduate child and adolescent mental health programs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) PRIORITY- In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) demonstrate familiarity with the use of evidence-based methods in child and adolescent mental health services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) provide experience in, and collaboration with, community-based child and adolescent mental health services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) have included normal child development curricula; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) demonstrate commitment to working with high-priority populations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) USE OF FUNDS- Funds received as a grant under this subsection may be used to establish or expand any accredited graduate child and adolescent mental health program in any manner deemed appropriate by the Secretary, including by improving the course work, related field placements, or faculty of such program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) REQUIREMENTS- The Secretary may award a grant to an accredited institution of higher education under this subsection only if the institution agrees that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) any child and adolescent mental health program assisted under the grant will prioritize cultural competency;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) the institution will provide to the Secretary such data, assurances, and information as the Secretary may require; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) with respect to any violation of the agreement between the Secretary and the institution, the institution will pay such liquidated damages as prescribed by the Secretary by regulation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) Definitions- In this section:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) SPECIALIZED TRAINING OR CLINICAL EXPERIENCE IN CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH- The term ‘specialized training or clinical experience in child and adolescent mental health’ means training and clinical experience that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) is part of or occurs after completion of an accredited graduate program in the United States for training mental health service professionals;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) consists of at least 500 hours of training or clinical experience in treating children and adolescents; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) is comprehensive, coordinated, developmentally appropriate, and of high quality to address the unique ethnic and cultural diversity of the United States population.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) HIGH-PRIORITY POPULATION- The term ‘high-priority population’ means--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) a population in which there is a significantly greater incidence than the national average of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) children who have serious emotional disturbances; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) children who are racial, ethnic, or linguistic minorities; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) a population consisting of individuals living in a high-poverty urban or rural area.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY- The term ‘medically underserved community’ has the meaning given to such term in section 799B.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE PROFESSIONAL- The term ‘mental health service professional’ means an individual with a graduate or postgraduate degree from an accredited institution of higher education in psychiatry, psychology, school psychology, behavioral pediatrics, psychiatric nursing, social work, school social work, marriage and family counseling, school counseling, or professional counseling.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY ACT TO IMPROVE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE.

(a) Increasing Number of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residents Permitted To Be Paid Under the Medicare Graduate Medical Education Program- Section 1886(h)(4)(F) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(h)(4)(F)) is amended by adding at the end the following new clause:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) INCREASE ALLOWED FOR TRAINING IN CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY- In applying clause (i), there shall not be taken into account such additional number of full-time equivalent residents in the field of allopathic or osteopathic medicine who are residents or fellows in child and adolescent psychiatry as the Secretary determines reasonable to meet the need for such physicians as demonstrated by the 1999 report of the Department of Health and Human Services entitled ‘Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General’.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Extension of Medicare Board Eligibility Period for Residents and Fellows in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry- Section 1886(h)(5)(G) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(h)(5)(G)) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in clause (i), by striking ‘and (v)’ and inserting ‘(v), and (vi)’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by adding at the end the following new clause:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(vi) CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY TRAINING PROGRAMS- In the case of an individual enrolled in a child and adolescent psychiatry residency or fellowship program approved by the Secretary, the period of board eligibility and the initial residency period shall be the period of board eligibility for the specialty of general psychiatry, plus 2 years for the subspecialty of child and adolescent psychiatry.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to residency training years beginning on or after July 1, 2010.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. CHILD MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL REPORT.

(a) Study- The Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (in this section referred to as the ‘Administrator’) shall study and make findings and recommendations on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the distribution and need for child mental health service professionals, including with respect to specialty certifications, practice characteristics, professional licensure, practice types, racial and ethnic backgrounds, locations, education, and training; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) a comparison of such distribution and need, including identification of disparities, on a State-by-State basis.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Report- Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Congress and make publicly available a report on the results of the study required by subsection (a), including with respect to findings and recommendations on disparities among the States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. REPORTS.

(a) Transmission- The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall transmit a report described in subsection (b) to the Congress--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Contents- The reports transmitted to the Congress under subsection (a) shall address each of the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) The effectiveness of the amendments made by, and the programs carried out under, this Act in increasing the number of child and adolescent mental health service professionals and paraprofessional child and adolescent mental health workers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The demographics of the individuals served by such increased number of child and adolescent mental health service professionals and paraprofessional child and adolescent mental health workers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink