,i #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ggc ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #b1 #bjbc ,ms4 ,dean of ,pennsylvania 7for herself and ,ms4 ,garcia of ,texas7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services ,a ,,bill ,to help persons in the ,united ,states experiencing homelessness and significant behavioral health issues1 including substance use disorders1 by authorizing a grant program within the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development to assist ,state and local governments1 ,continuums of ,care1 community-based organizations that administer both health and homelessness services1 and providers of services to people experiencing homelessness1 better coordinate health care and homelessness services1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,homelessness and ,behavioral ,health ,care ,coordination ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states has a homelessness crisis1 with more than #ehb1jjj people experiencing homelessness on a single night according to the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development's #bjbb ,annual ,homeless ,assessment ,report to ,congress4 7#b7 ,while the lack of affordable housing is the primary driver of homelessness1 behavioral health conditions1 including substance use disorders1 can exacerbate homelessness and can also be a consequence of homelessness4 7#c7 ,research shows that people experiencing homelessness have higher rates of substance use disorder than people with housing stability4 ,some people who experience homelessness use substances to cope with the trauma and deprivations of their circumstances1 but substance use disorders frequently make it more difficult for people experiencing homelessness to secure permanent housing4 7#d7 ,many individuals with substance use disorder who experience homelessness have co-occurring illnesses4 ,the combined effect of physical illness1 mental illness1 and lack of housing results in higher mortality rates for individuals experiencing homelessness4 7#e7 ,safely and securely housing individuals who are experiencing both homelessness and behavioral health issues1 including substance use disorders1 often requires supportive services and close coordination between housing and social service providers1 in addition to low-barrier1 affordable housing4 ,subsidized housing is critical1 but not enough--access to additional voluntary person-centered supportive services is needed4 7#f7 ,it is imperative that when people experiencing homelessness choose to seek help that housing as well as health care and person-centered supportive services be coordinated1 particularly given their acute needs and the significant costs incurred by communities for law enforcement1 correctional1 and emergency department care for failing to do so4 7#g7 ,while participation in health care and person-centered supportive services should not be a requirement for people experiencing homelessness to receive housing1 access to such services can be beneficial in securing and successfully maintaining stable housing4 7#h7 ,integration of health and homelessness services to achieve optimal outcomes for people experiencing homelessness1 significant behavioral health conditions such as substance use disorder1 and other health conditions can be challenging for ,state and local governments1 continuums of care1 and community-based organizations that administer both health and homelessness services and providers of homelessness services4 7#i7 ,capacity building is needed to create systems-level linkages between the two sets of services to allow for smoother pathways and simpler navigation4 7#aj7 ,black1 ,hispanic1 and ,indigenous people are disproportionately underserved by person-centered supportive services4 ,in order to address critical services deficits and affirmatively serve protected classes of people with significant behavioral health conditions1 including substance use disorders1 who are experiencing homelessness1 the grant program established under this ,act can be used to build the capacities of homelessness services providers that have demonstrated cultural competencies in service provision and a record of serving ,black1 ,hispanic1 and ,indigenous people and other underserved populations experiencing homelessness that also suffer from substance use disorders4 #c4 ,establishment of grant program 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development 7in this ,act referred to as the ,secretary71 in consultation with the working group established pursuant to subsection 7b71 shall establish a grant program to award competitive grants to eligible entities to build or increase their capacities for the better coordination of health care and homelessness services for people who are experiencing homelessness and significant behavioral health issues1 including substance use disorders1 and are voluntarily seeking assistance4 7b7 ,working group 7#a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish an interagency working group to provide advice to the ,secretary in carrying out the program under subsection 7a74 ,the working group shall include representatives from the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development1 the ,united ,states ,interagency ,council on ,homelessness1 ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 ,department of ,agriculture1 and ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs1 to be appointed by the heads of such agencies4 7#b7 ,development of assistance tools ,the working group shall1 not later than #ab months after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 develop training1 tools1 and other technical assistance materials that simplify homelessness services for providers of health care and simplify health care services for providers of homelessness services by identifying the basic elements the health and homelessness sectors need to understand about the other1 and shall circulate such materials to interested entities1 particularly those who apply for grants awarded pursuant to this ,act4 7c7 ,capacity-,building grants 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall award #e-year grants to eligible entities1 which shall be used only to build or increase their capacities to coordinate health care and homelessness services4 7#b7 ,prohibition ,none of the proceeds from the grants awarded pursuant to this ,act may be used to pay for health care1 with the exception of efforts to increase the availability of ,naloxone and provide training for its administration1 or rent4 7#c7 ,amount ,the amount awarded to an entity under a grant under this subsection shall not exceed #ejj1jjj4 7#d7 ,eligibility ,to be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection an entity shall-- 7,a7 be-- 7i7 a governmental entity 7at the county1 city1 regional1 or locality level72 7ii7 an ,indian tribe1 a ,tribally designated housing entity1 a ,tribal organization1 or an urban ,indian organization2 7iii7 a public housing agency administering housing choice vouchers2 or 7iv7 a continuum of care or nonprofit organization designated by the continuum of care2 7,b7 be responsible for homelessness services2 7,c7 provide such assurances as the ,secretary shall require that1 in carrying out activities with amounts from the grant1 the entity will ensure that services are culturally competent1 meet the needs of the people being served1 and follow trauma-informed best practices to address those needs using a harm reduction approach2 and 7,d7 demonstrate how its capacity to coordinate health care and homelessness services to better serve people experiencing homelessness and significant behavioral health issues1 including substance use disorders1 can be increased through-- 7i7 the designation of a governmental official as a coordinator for making connections between health and homelessness services and developing a strategy for using those services in a holistic way to help people experiencing homelessness and behavioral health conditions such as substance use disorders1 including those with co-occurring conditions2 7ii7 improvements in infrastructure at the systems level2 7iii7 improvements in technology for voluntary remote monitoring capabilities1 including internet and video1 which can allow for more home- and community-based behavioral health care services and ensure such improvements maintain effective communication requirements for persons with disabilities and program access for persons with limited ,english proficiency2 7iv7 improvements in connections to health care services delivered by providers experienced in behavioral health care and people experiencing homelessness2 7v7 efforts to increase the availability of ,naloxone and provide training for its administration2 and 7vi7 any additional activities identified by the ,secretary that will advance the coordination of homelessness assistance1 housing1 and behavioral health care services and other health care services4 7#e7 ,eligible activities ,an eligible grantee receiving a grant under this subsection may use the grant to cover costs related to-- 7,a7 hiring system coordinators2 and 7,b7 administrative costs1 including staffing costs1 technology costs1 and other such costs identified by the ,secretary4 7#f7 ,distribution of funds ,an eligible grantee receiving a grant under this subsection may distribute all or a portion of the grant amounts to private nonprofit organizations1 other government entities1 public housing agencies1 tribally designated housing entities1 or other entities as determined by the ,secretary to carry out programs and activities in accordance with this section4 7#g7 ,oversight requirements 7,a7 ,annual reports ,not later than #f years after the date on which grant amounts are first received by an eligible entity1 such entity shall submit to the ,secretary a report on the activities carried out under the grant4 ,such report shall include1 with respect to activities carried out with grant amounts in the community served-- 7i7 measures of outcomes relating to whether people experiencing homelessness and significant behavioral health issues1 including substance use disorders1 who sought help from an entity that received a grant-- 7,i7 were housed and did not experience intermittent periods of homelessness2 7,,ii7 were voluntarily enrolled in treatment and recovery programs2 7,,iii7 experienced improvements in their health2 7,,iv7 obtained access to specific primary care providers2 and 7,v7 have health care plans that meet their individual needs1 including access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment and recovery services2 7ii7 how grant funds were used2 and 7iii7 any other matters determined appropriate by the ,secretary4 7,b7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this subsection may be construed to condition the receipt of future housing and other services by individuals assisted with activities and services provided with grant amounts on the outcomes detailed in the reports submitted under this subsection4 7#h7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7,a7 ,behavioral health ,the term behavioral health includes mental health and substance use4 7,b7 ,indian ,tribe2 ,tribal organization ,the terms ,indian ,tribe and ,tribal organization have the meanings given such terms in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd7 and shall include tribally designated housing entities 7as such term is defined in section #d of the ,native ,american ,housing ,assistance and ,self-,determination ,act of #aiif 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #dajc77 and entities that serve ,native ,hawaiians 7as such term is defined in section #cch,k7c7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #beds7c7774 7,c7 ,person experiencing homelessness ,the term person experiencing homelessness has the same meaning as the terms homeless1 homeless individual1 and homeless person as those terms are defined in the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacjb74 7,d7 ,substance use disorder ,the term substance use disorder means the disorder that occurs when the recurrent use of alcohol or drugs1 or both1 causes clinically significant impairment1 including health problems1 disability1 and failure to meet major responsibilities at work1 school1 or home4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section1 #bj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbh1 of which not less than #e percent of such funds shall be awarded to ,indian tribes and tribal organizations4