,i #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hfhj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #aa1 #bjbd,mr4 ,espaillat 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,lawler1 and ,mr4 ,thanedar7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use1 to award grants to train community mental wellness workers4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,community ,mental ,wellness ,worker ,training ,act4 #b4 ,training community mental wellness workers 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use1 may award grants to eligible entities to implement community mental wellness worker training programs4 7b7 ,use of funds ,a community mental wellness worker training program implemented pursuant to a grant under this section may include-- 7#a7 supporting training1 certification1 and supervision during and after training of community mental wellness workers and community mental wellness supervisors-- 7,a7 to screen for common mental health and substance use conditions2 and 7,b7 to deliver evidence-informed1 culturally and linguistically competent counseling and interviewing interventions addressing basic psychosocial or psychotherapeutic treatment needs of persons with or at risk for mental and substance use disorders1 including safety planning and interventions to reduce suicide risk2 and 7#b7 covering costs associated with-- 7,a7 the acquisition and use of digital platforms to provide the screening1 training1 supervision1 and ongoing quality assurance monitoring1 outcomes evaluation1 and delivery of evidence-based treatments2 7,b7 the delivery of counseling and interviewing interventions described in paragraph 7#a77;,b72 and 7,c7 the clinical supervision 7during and after training7 of community mental wellness workers and the certification of such workers upon the completion of required training4 7c7 ,community mental wellness technical assistance center 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use1 may provide appropriate training and technical assistance to grantees under this section in meeting the requirements of this section1 including by-- 7,a7 consulting with grantees on evidence-based employment practices for community mental wellness workers1 including assistance with integrating community wellness workers into the workflows of the grantees and other eligible entities2 7,b7 identifying a diverse array of candidates for community mental wellness worker training2 and 7,c7 identifying behavioral health providers who may benefit from and employ community mental wellness workers4 7#b7 ,additional dissemination of technical assistance ,the information and resources provided by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,resources under paragraph 7#a7 shall1 as appropriate1 be made available to ,states1 political subdivisions of ,states1 ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations 7as defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd771 outpatient and inpatient substance use treatment providers1 other community-based behavioral health organizations1 and other entities as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7d7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this section1 the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall give priority to eligible entities that are-- 7#a7 in a neighborhood with poverty and unemployment rates that exceed the average in the ,united ,states2 7#b7 in a medically underserved community2 7#c7 in a neighborhood with substance use rates that exceed the average in the ,united ,states2 or 7#d7 serving communities with rates of individuals who are dually eligible for both the ,medicare program under title ,,xviii of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie et seq47 and the ,medicaid program under title ,,xix of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et seq47 that exceed the average in the ,united ,states4 7e7 ,report 7#a7 ,submission ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress-- 7,a7 not later than one year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 an interim report on the results of the grant program under this section2 and 7,b7 not later than the end of fiscal year #bjbi1 a final report of such results4 7#b7 ,contents ,the reports required by paragraph 7#a7 shall each include-- 7,a7 the total number of community mental wellness workers participating in the grant program under this section2 and 7,b7 the total number of community mental wellness workers who obtained certification through such participation4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term community mental wellness worker means an individual trained and certified by an eligible entity to assist with providing basic screening and evidence-based treatments to persons with a mild to moderate mental health or substance use disorder1 including depression1 anxiety1 post-traumatic stress disorder1 and alcohol use disorder4 7#b7 ,the term culturally and linguistically competent means acknowledging and responsive to cultural differences that might derive from characteristics including-- 7,a7 gender2 7,b7 sex2 7,c7 sexual orientation2 7,d7 race or ethnicity2 7,e7 nationality2 7,f7 socioeconomic level2 7,g7 immigration status2 7,h7 disability2 7,i7 ,tribal affiliation2 and 7,j7 veteran status4 7#c7 ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a certified community behavioral health clinic 7as described in section #bbc7;a7 of the ,protecting ,access to ,medicare ,act of #bjad 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif;a note772 7,b7 a community mental health center 7as described in section #aiac7;c7 of the ,public ,health ,services ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjx-#b7;c772 7,c7 a hospital that is described in section #eja7;c7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf and exempt from tax under section #eja7;a7 of such ,code2 and 7,d7 such other community behavioral health organizations as the ,secretary may specify1 in consultation with-- 7i7 ,state authorities responsible for regulating substance use and mental health providers and facilities identified in an approved ,state plan or waiver under section #aaae of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acae7 or under section #aiae of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acifn72 and 7ii7 other ,state substance abuse and mental health agencies4 7#d7 ,the term medically underserved community has the meaning given to such term in section #gii;,b of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bie;b74 7g7 ,funding 7#a7 ,authorization of appropriations ,to carry out this ,act1 there are authorized to appropriated #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbe through #bjbi4 7#b7 ,allocation ,of the funds authorized to be appropriation to carry out this section for a fiscal year1 #e1jjj1jjj shall be for the provision of training and technical assistance under subsection 7c74 #c4 ,malpractice and negligence suits against community behavioral health clinic and community mental health centers 7a7 ,in general ,except as inconsistent with this subsection1 the provisions of section #bbd of the ,public ,health ,service ,act1 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bcc71 including subsections 7g71 7h71 7i71 7j71 7k71 and 7l71 shall apply with respect to an entity described in subsection 7b7 of this section1 and any officer1 governing board member1 employee1 or contractor described in subsection 7c7 of this section1 to the same extent and in the same manner as such provisions apply with respect to an entity described in subsection 7g77#d7 of such section #bbd1 and any officer1 governing board member1 employee1 or contractor of such an entity4 7b7 ,described entities ,an entity described in this paragraph is an entity that-- 7#a7 is an eligible entity 7as defined in section #b7;f77#c772 and 7#b7 is in receipt of a grant under section #b4 7c7 ,described officers1 governing board members1 employees1 and contractors ,an officer1 governing board member1 employee1 or contractor is described in this subsection if the person-- 7#a7 is-- 7,a7 an officer1 governing board member1 or employee of an entity described in subsection 7b72 or 7,b7 a contractor of such an entity who is a physician or other licensed or certified health care practitioner2 and 7#b7 is participating in the entity's program funded through a grant under section #b1 as indicated in a list submitted pursuant to subsection 7d74 7d7 ,list required ,each entity described in subsection 7b7 shall submit to the ,secretary1 and update as necessary1 a list of each officer1 governing board member1 employee1 or contractor participating in the entity's program funded through a grant under section #b4 7e7 ,period of applicability ,this subsection applies with respect to an entity described in subsection 7b71 and any officer1 governing board member1 employee1 or contractor described in subsection 7c71 only with respect to acts and omissions occurring during the period of the grant referred to in subsection 7b77#b74 7f7 ,delayed applicability ,this subsection applies beginning with respect to fiscal year #bjbe4