,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dfgg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #bh1 #bjbb,mr4 ,heinrich 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,booker1 and ,ms4 ,warren7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to increase language access to mental health services at certain health centers1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,mental ,health ,workforce and ,language ,access ,act of #bjbb4 #b4 ,pilot program to increase language access at ,federally qualified health centers 7a7 ,loan repayments to qualified mental health professionals 7#a7 ,in general ,for the purpose of increasing language access to mental health services1 the ,secretary shall carry out a demonstration project under which-- 7,a7 the ,secretary matches qualified mental health professionals with ,federally qualified health centers2 7,b7 the qualified mental health professionals each agree to a period of obligated service at a ,federally qualified health center with which they are so matched2 and 7,c7 the ,secretary agrees to make loan repayments under section #cch;,b of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bedl-#a7 on behalf of such qualified mental health professionals4 7#b7 ,preference ,in matching qualified mental health professionals with ,federally qualified health centers under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall give preference to placement at ,federally qualified health centers at which at least #bj percent of the patients are best served in a language other than ,english1 as indicated by data in the ,uniform ,data ,system 7or any successor database7 or as otherwise determined by the ,secretary4 7#c7 ,enhanced compensation ,for each year of obligated service that a qualified mental health professional contracts to serve under paragraph 7#a7 at a ,federally qualified health center at which at least #bj percent of the patients are best served in a language other than ,english1 as indicated by data in the ,uniform ,data ,system 7or any successor database7 or as otherwise determined by the ,secretary1 the ,secretary shall pay the qualified mental health professional-- 7,a7 except as provided in subparagraph 7,b71 #aj1jjj above the maximum amount otherwise applicable under section #cch;,b7g77#b77;,a7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bedl-#a7;g77#b77;,a772 or 7,b7 if the qualified mental health professional is fluent in a language other than ,english that is needed by such ,federally qualified health center1 #ae1jjj above such maximum amount4 7#d7 ,achieving fluency ,a qualified mental health professional subject to the pay amount specified in paragraph 7#c77;,a7 at the beginning of the professional's period of obligated service may transition to being subject to the higher pay amount specified in paragraph 7#c77;,b7 if the professional is determined by the ,federally qualified health center at which the professional serves to have achieved fluency in a language other than ,english needed by that health center4 7b7 ,grants to health centers 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall carry out a demonstration program consisting of awarding grants under section #ccj of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;b7 to ,federally qualified health centers to recruit1 hire1 employ1 and supervise qualified mental health professionals who are fluent in a language other than ,english to provide mental health services in such other language4 7#b7 ,preference ,in selecting grant recipients under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall give preference to ,federally qualified health centers at which at least #bj percent of the patients are best served in a language other than ,english1 as indicated by data in the ,uniform ,data ,system 7or any successor database7 or as otherwise determined by the ,secretary4 7#c7 ,marketing ,a ,federally qualified health center receiving a grant under this subsection shall use a portion of the grant funds to disseminate information about1 and otherwise market1 the mental health services supported through the grant4 7c7 ,reports 7#a7 ,initial report ,not later than #f months after the first loan repayment awards have been made under subsection 7a7 and the first grants have been awarded under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committees on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,senate1 and to other appropriate congressional committees1 a report on the implementation of the programs under this section4 ,such report shall include-- 7,a7 the languages spoken by the qualified mental health professionals receiving loan repayments pursuant to subsection 7a7 or recruited pursuant to a grant under subsection 7b72 7,b7 the ,federally qualified health centers at which such professionals were placed2 7,c7 how many ,federally qualified health centers received funding through the grant program under subsection 7b72 7,d7 an analysis1 conducted in consultation with the ,federally qualified health centers receiving grants under section 7b71 of the effectiveness of such grants at increasing language access to mental health services2 and 7,e7 best practices1 developed in consultation with ,federally qualified health centers receiving grants under section 7b71 for the recruitment and retention of mental health professionals at ,federally qualified health centers4 7#b7 ,final report ,not later than ,september #cj1 #bjbf1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committees on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,senate1 and to other appropriate congressional committees1 a final report on the implementation of the programs under this section1 including the information1 analysis1 and best practices listed in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,e7 of paragraph 7#a74 7d7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,federally qualified health center ,the term ,federally qualified health center has the meaning given the term in section #ahfa7;aa7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7aa774 7#b7 ,qualified mental health professional ,the term qualified mental health professional means-- 7,a7 a physician1 allopathic physician1 osteopathic physician1 nurse practitioner1 or physician assistant with a specialty in mental health and psychiatry2 7,b7 a health service psychologist2 7,c7 a licensed clinical social worker2 7,d7 a psychiatric nurse specialist2 7,e7 a marriage and family therapist2 7,f7 a licensed professional counselor2 7,g7 a substance use disorder counselor2 7,h7 an occupational therapist2 or 7,i7 any other individual who-- 7i7 has not yet been licensed or certified to serve as a professional listed in any of subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,h72 and 7ii7 will serve at the ,federally qualified health center under the supervision of a licensed individual or certified professional so listed4 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,to carry out this section1 there is authorized to be appropriated #ge1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg4 7#b7 ,supplement not supplant ,amounts made available to carry out this section shall be in addition to amounts otherwise available to provide mental health services at ,federally qualified health centers pursuant to sections #cch;,b and #ccj of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bedl-#a1 #bed;b74