,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dcab ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #i1 #bjbd,mr4 ,fetterman 7for himself and ,ms4 ,smith7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to establish a ,united ,states ,senate ,commission on ,mental ,health for the purpose of providing to ,congress and the ,president independent1 expert policy recommendations to improve access to and affordability of mental health care services4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,united ,states ,senate ,commission on ,mental ,health ,act of #bjbd4 #b4 ,purposes ,the purposes of this section are as follows3 7#a7 ,to establish the ,united ,states ,senate ,commission on ,mental ,health to review available data1 research1 policies1 and other pertinent information regarding mental health care services and delivery4 7#b7 ,to facilitate discussion among relevant stakeholders1 including ,federal agencies1 to understand what policies have successfully improved mental health care services and delivery and to develop recommendations for congressional and executive action to improve access to1 and affordability of1 mental health care services4 #c4 ,establishment of ,united ,states ,senate ,commission on ,mental ,health 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established a ,united ,states ,senate ,commission on ,mental ,health 7referred to in this ,act as the ,commission74 7b7 ,purposes ,the purpose of the ,commission is to provide ,congress and the ,president independent1 expert policy recommendations to improve mental health care services1 including improving equitable access and affordability4 7c7 ,membership 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall be composed of #h members1 as follows3 7,a7 ,six shall be ,members of the ,senate appointed by the ,president of the ,senate1 of which-- 7i7 #c shall be selected1 after consultation with the majority leader of the ,senate1 from the majority party2 and 7ii7 #c shall be selected1 after consultation with the minority leader of the ,senate1 from the minority party4 7,b7 ,two shall be experts with a demonstrated academic and professional background in mental health care1 selected by the majority leader of the ,senate1 after consultation with the minority leader of the ,senate4 7#b7 ,period of appointment ,each member of the ,commission shall be appointed for a term of #b years4 7#c7 ,chair and vice chair ,on the commencement of each #b-year period of appointment of the members of the ,commission1 the members of the ,commission shall select a ,chair from among the members appointed under paragraph 7#a77;,a77i71 and a ,vice ,chair from among the members appointed under paragraph 7#a77;,a77ii74 7#d7 ,no compensation ,the members of the ,commission shall serve without compensation for their work on the ,commission4 7#e7 ,travel expenses ,a member of the ,commission shall be allowed travel expenses1 including per diem in lieu of subsistence1 at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter ,i of chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the ,commission4 7d7 ,retention of support ,the ,commission shall retain and make use of such staff1 materials1 and infrastructure of the ,senate as is necessary to carry out the duties of the ,commission4 7e7 ,meetings ,the ,commission shall conduct meetings1 not less frequently than every #ij days1 with relevant stakeholders across the ,united ,states1 including mental health care providers 7such as physicians1 psychiatrists1 psychologists1 counselors1 and therapists71 patients1 and individuals representing advocacy groups1 academic and research institutions1 nonprofit organizations1 industry1 and other relevant stakeholders1 as determined by the ,commission4 7f7 ,vacancies ,a vacancy in the ,commission-- 7#a7 shall not affect the powers of the ,commission2 and 7#b7 shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment4 #d4 ,duties of the ,commission 7a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall study relevant issues regarding mental health care services and delivery and issue reports1 as required under subsection 7b74 7b7 ,topics studied 7#a7 ,in general ,each calendar year1 the ,commission shall study specific topics relating to improving mental health care services and delivery1 including improving equitable access and affordability with respect to such services1 in accordance with paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c71 including by convening meetings described in section #c7;e74 7#b7 ,initial topics ,in the first year following the establishment of the ,commission1 the ,commission shall consider the following topics3 7,a7 ,mental health care services coverage1 including mental health parity requirements1 under the ,medicare program under title ,,xviii of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie et seq471 the ,medicaid program under title ,,xix of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et seq471 the ,state ,children's ,health ,insurance ,program under title ,,xxi of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acig;aa et seq471 and1 as the ,commission determines appropriate1 other health programs administered by the ,federal ,government1 including-- 7i7 the extent to which mental health care services are covered under such programs2 and 7ii7 the extent to which mental health parity requirements applicable to such programs are effective in meeting the mental health care needs of patients4 7,b7 ,reimbursement rates for mental health care services with respect to mental health care providers1 including-- 7i7 the extent to which reimbursement rates under the programs described in subparagraph 7,a77i71 impact the affordability1 accessibility1 and availability of mental health care services2 7ii7 how reimbursement rates for all mental health care services differ from reimbursement rates for physical health care services under such programs2 and 7iii7 the probable impact of increasing the rates of mental health reimbursement rates under such programs1 including the cost to the ,federal ,government and the number of providers and patients who would be impacted4 7,c7 ,workforce challenges with respect to mental health care providers1 including-- 7i7 challenges and barriers that prevent individuals1 including students1 from entering mental health care professions2 7ii7 challenges and barriers that students enrolled in mental health care professional training programs face while pursuing their degrees2 7iii7 the challenges and barriers professors and staff in such training programs face2 7iv7 challenges and barriers mental health care providers face2 and 7v7 factors that contribute to mental health care providers leaving the field4 7#c7 ,topics in subsequent years ,after the submission of the first report under subsection 7c7 that addresses the topics described in paragraph 7#b71 the ,commission shall consider such topics each year as the ,commission determines appropriate4 7#d7 ,definition ,in this subsection1 the term mental health parity means-- 7,a7 with respect to the ,medicare program under title ,,xviii of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie et seq471 and other applicable plans administered by the ,federal ,government1 efforts to ensure that reimbursement rates for mental health care services are equivalent to reimbursement rates for physical health care services under such program or such plans2 and 7,b7 with respect to the ,medicaid program under title ,,xix of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et seq47 and the ,state ,children's ,health ,insurance ,program under title ,,xxi of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acig;aa et seq471 the requirements set forth in the rule titled ,medicaid and ,children's ,health ,insurance ,programs2 ,mental ,health ,parity and ,addiction ,equity ,act of #bjjh2 the ,application of ,mental ,health ,parity ,requirements to ,coverage ,offered by ,medicaid ,managed ,care ,organizations1 the ,children's ,health ,insurance ,program 7,,chip71 and ,alternative ,benefit ,plans 7#ha ,fed4 ,reg4 #ahcij74 7c7 ,annual report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than ,january #a each year1 beginning with the first year that begins at least #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,commission shall submit to ,congress1 the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 and1 as appropriate1 the heads of other relevant ,federal agencies a report1 based on the studies carried out under subsection 7b71 regarding the state of mental health care services and delivery1 including a needs and gap assessment across the continuum of mental health care4 ,each report shall include-- 7,a7 an analysis of the current barriers to accessing affordable and equitable mental health care services1 challenges facing the mental health care workforce1 and successful efforts by ,state1 local1 or ,tribal entities to improve mental health care services and delivery2 and 7,b7 policy recommendations for legislative and administrative actions to address issues identified through the report4 7#b7 ,contents of report ,each report submitted under paragraph 7#a7 shall include a discussion of the topics considered under subsection 7b7 for the applicable year and the following3 7,a7 ,the most current and comprehensive data and research on the state of mental health care in the ,united ,states1 including barriers to accessing mental health care4 7,b7 ,a comprehensive needs and gap assessment across the continuum of mental health care services1 using disaggregated data1 for-- 7i7 different age groups1 such as for children1 adolescents1 adults1 and older adults2 7ii7 student status1 for each of the primary1 secondary1 and postsecondary levels2 7iii7 people with disabilities2 7iv7 individuals with co-morbidities1 including substance use2 7v7 racial and ethnic minorities2 7vi7 ,,lgbtq individuals2 7vii7 individuals residing in rural communities2 and 7viii7 members of ,tribal communities4 7,c7 ,prioritizing health equity through building and maintaining a culturally competent and diverse mental health care workforce across the continuum of care4 #e4 ,termination of ,commission ,the ,commission shall terminate #aj years after the date of enactment of this ,act4 #f4 ,authorization of ,appropriations ,to carry out this ,act1 there is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years #bjbe through #bjcd4