,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ghic  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,july #ca1 #bjbj,mr4 
,steil introduced the following bill2   
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,energy and ,commerce  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
amend title ,v of the ,public ,health   
,service ,act to provide for the        
establishment of a ,,covid-#ai ,mental  
,health and ,substance ,abuse ,response 
,grant ,program1 and for other purposes4
  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be    
cited as the ,mental ,health and        
,substance ,abuse ,support ,during      
,,covid-#ai ,act4  #b4 ,,covid-#ai      
,mental ,health and ,substance ,abuse   
,response ,grant ,program ,subpart #c of
 part ,b of title ,v of the ,public     
,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4    
#bij;bb-#ca7 is amended by adding at the
 end the following3  #ebj,n4 ,,covid-#ai
 ,mental ,health and ,substance ,abuse  
,response ,grant ,program  7a7          
,establishment ,the ,secretary shall1 in
 coordination with the ,assistant       

,secretary for ,mental ,health and      
,substance ,use1 establish and carry out
 a program to award grants to ,states   
7as defined in section #ebd7 to assist  
,states in addressing the increased     
costs to ,states due to an increase in  
mental health challenges and substance  
abuse in such ,states as a result of1 or
 co-occurring with1 the ,,covid-#ai     
pandemic1 to be known as the ,,covid-#ai
 ,mental ,health and ,substance ,abuse  
,response ,grant ,program 7referred to  
in this section as the ,program74  7b7  
,use of ,funds ,a ,state may use funds  
received through the grant to support   
one or more of the following activities1
 which may be conducted in coordination 
or partnership with local governments or
 community organizations3 7#a7 ,enhanced
 public education to improve community  
awareness1 with respect to mental health
 or substance abuse1 including for      
children and youth4  7#b7               
,identification of1 and outreach to1    
individuals at risk of experiencing a   

mental health and substance abuse       
challenge1 and referral of such         
individuals to appropriate treatment1   
recover1 or other resources in the      
community4  7#c7 ,direct services to    
adults and children to prevent or treat 
a mental health or substance abuse      
problem4  7#d7 ,community and peer      
support programs1 including programs for
 veterans and underserved communities4  
7#e7 ,development of partnerships with  
entities such as local healthcare       
providers1 substance abuse treatment    
organizations1 schools1 child welfare   
agencies1 social services organizations1
 mental health treatment organizations1 
police departments1 businesses1         
religious institutions1 in order to     
coordinate and expand resources         
available to addicted or at-risk        
individuals and their family members4   
7#f7 ,mental health and substance abuse 
training for relevant healthcare        
workforce and community members4  7#g7  
,upgrading technology to support mental 

health and substance abuse services     
through telehealth4  7#h7 ,follow-up    
services and outpatient support4  7#i7  
,support programs for front line        
,,covid-#ai health care workers4  7#aj7 
#bd_/g crisis call centers4  7#aa7      
,grants to local governmental entities  
within such ,state to offset the costs  
referred to in subsection 7a74  7c7     
,regulations ,the ,secretary shall1 not 
later than #cj days after the date of   
enactment of this section1 issue a rule 
to establish1 carry out1 and administer 
the ,program4  7d7 ,funding  7#a7       
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
is authorized to be appropriated to     
carry out this section #a1jjj1jjj1jjj   
for each of fiscal years #bjbj through  
#bjbb4  7#b7 ,allocation ,of the amounts
 made available under paragraph 7#a7 for
 a fiscal year1 each ,state shall be    
allocated an amount based on the        
percentage constituted by the ratio of  
an amount equal to the population of the
 ,state over an amount equal to the     

total population of the ,states1 as     
indicated by the data collected by the  
,bureau of the ,census for #bjaj4  4