,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ddbh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #ai1 #bjai,ms4 ,wild 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,trone1 and ,mr4 ,moulton7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and in addition to the ,committees on ,ways and ,means1 and ,oversight and ,reform1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to establish a special enrollment period for family members of an individual who has died by suicide1 to establish a competitive grant program to provide services and support to friends and family members impacted by an individual's suicide1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,greater ,mental ,health ,access ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,one in five adults in ,america experience some form of mental illness1 and nearly one in twenty-five adults live with serious mental illness4 7#b7 ,access to mental health services is a particularly pervasive problem2 #bh million residents of the ,united ,states are uninsured and have no access to mental health services4 ,studies show that nearly #fj percent of adults and #ej percent of children with a mental illness did not receive mental health services in the previous calendar year4 7#c7 ,the lack of access to mental health services has1 in part1 contributed to an increase in the suicide rate in the ,united ,states1 which is now the tenth leading cause of death in this country4 7#d7 ,in #bjag1 #dg1agc ,americans died by suicide4 7#e7 ,in #bjag1 there were an estimated #a1djj1jjj suicide attempts in the ,united ,states4 7#f7 ,suicide by a loved one often results in suicide contagion2 for surviving family and friends the risk of attempting suicide increases by #fe percent4 7#g7 ,family and friends who lost a loved one to suicide are #hj percent more likely to drop out of school or stop working4 7#h7 ,access to mental health services is important to mitigate suicide1 suicide contagion1 and bereavement4 ,access to care also reduces the financial burden for individuals in need of mental health services4 7#i7 ,the ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act has increased access to mental health services1 but there is still a large population that is uninsured or has insufficient coverage to seek mental health services4 7#aj7 ,family and friends who have lost a loved one to suicide should not face hurdles when attempting to access mental health services4 ,as such1 a suicide or suicide attempt should constitute a qualifying life event for any individual who is eligible to enroll1 but is not enrolled1 in a health benefit plan under the ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act4 #c4 ,providing for a special enrollment period for family members of individuals who have committed suicide 7a7 ,public ,health ,service ,act ,section #bgjb7;b77#b7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;gg-#a7;b77#b7 is amended by inserting including a special enrollment period for family members of individuals who have died by suicide1 allowing them to enroll in1 or change1 their health care plan1 beginning on the date on which the suicide is reported to the health insurance issuer before the period at the end4 7b7 ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act ,section #acaa7;c77#f7 of the ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjca7;c77#f77 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking and at the end2 7#b7 by redesignating subparagraph 7,d7 as subparagraph 7,e72 and 7#c7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,c7 the following new subparagraph3 7,d7 a special enrollment period for family members of individuals who have died by suicide1 beginning on the date on which the suicide is reported to the ,exchange2 and 4 7c7 ,special ,enrollment ,periods ,section #ihja7;f7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf 7#bf ,u4,s4,c4 #ihja7;f77 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#d7 ,for family members of individuals who have died by suicide 7,a7 ,a group health plan shall permit an employee who is eligible1 but not enrolled1 for coverage under the terms of the plan 7or a dependent of such an employee if the dependent is eligible1 but not enrolled1 for coverage under such terms7 to enroll for coverage under the terms of the plan upon the suicide of a family member1 with the special enrollment period beginning on the date on which the suicide is reported to the group health plan4 7,b7 ,the ,secretary shall promulgate regulations with respect to the special enrollment period under subparagraph 7,a71 including establishing a time period for family members of an individual who has died by suicide to enroll in coverage or change coverage1 and effective date of such coverage4 4 7d7 ,federal ,employees' ,health ,benefits ,program ,the requirements imposed by the amendments made by subsections 7a71 7b71 and 7c7 of this section shall apply to any plan provided under the ,federal ,employees' ,health ,benefits ,program 7chapter #hi of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code74 7e7 ,effective ,date ,the amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to plan years beginning after the date of enactment4 #d4 ,outpatient ,mental ,health ,services ,subpart #c of part ,b of title ,v of the ,public ,health ,service ,act is amended by inserting after section #ebj;,e-#d 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bij;bb-#cf;d7 the following new section3 #ebj;,e-#e ,outpatient ,mental ,health ,services 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use1 shall award grants to medical providers1 hospitals1 clinics1 not-for-profit organizations1 and religious organizations1 to provide outpatient mental health services for individuals impacted by the attempted or completed suicide of a friend or family member4 7b7 ,transfer of funds ,of the unobligated balance of the amount appropriated under section #djjb of the ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act1 the ,secretary shall transfer #f1jjj1jjj to carry out this section4 7c7 ,report ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment1 the ,secretary shall submit a report to ,congress on the implementation of this section4 7d7 ,outpatient mental health services ,in this section1 the term outpatient mental health services includes each of the following services3 7#a7 ,short-term counseling4 7#b7 ,referral services4 7#c7 ,follow-up services4 4