,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #gcj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #i1 #bjbc,mr4 ,kennedy introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,finance ,a ,,bill ,to amend title ,,xviii of the ,social ,security ,act and the ,,support for ,patients and ,communities ,act to provide for ,medicare and ,medicaid mental and behavioral health treatment through telehealth4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,enhance ,access to ,support ,essential ,behavioral ,health ,services ,act or the ,,ease ,behavioral ,health ,services ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds as follows3 7#a7 ,nearly #ah percent of adults in the ,united ,states reported a mental1 behavioral1 or emotional disorder in #bjae4 7#b7 ,children are also significantly impacted4 ,according to the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 #a in #f children ages #b years through #h years have a diagnosed mental1 behavioral1 or developmental disorder1 indicating that disorders begin in early childhood and affect lifelong health4 7#c7 ,moreover1 #a in #g children and adolescents have at least one treatable mental health disorder4 7#d7 ,there is a critical link between mental health and substance use disorders4 ,according to the ,substance ,abuse and ,mental ,health ,services ,administration1 #a in #d adults with severe mental illness had a substance use disorder in #bjag4 7#e7 ,moreover1 children who have had a major depressive episode are more than twice as likely to use illicit drugs4 7#f7 ,in #bjag1 approximately #ai4g million people aged #ab years or older had a substance use disorder related to their use of alcohol or illicit drugs in the past year4 7#g7 ,despite this overwhelming need1 access to behavioral health services remains among the most pressing health care challenges in our country4 7#h7 ,an estimated #ef percent of ,americans with a mental health disorder did not receive treatment in #bjag4 7#i7 ,similarly1 half of children and adolescents did not receive treatment for their mental health disorder in #bjaf4 7#aj7 ,further complicating access to care1 as demand for behavioral health services increases in communities across the ,united ,states1 the number of psychiatrists available to treat them continues to decline4 7#aa7 ,the population of practicing psychiatrists declined by more than #aj percent between the period of #bjjc through #bjac1 while the population of primary care physicians and neurologists grew during the same period4 7#ab7 ,technology has evolved to connect individuals to health care services in new ways1 including via telehealth4 7#ac7 ,moreover1 studies show that video visits are an effective strategy to provide mental health treatment to children and1 in fact1 may be preferable in some cases4 7#ad7 ,during the #aaeth ,congress1 ,congress recognized the potential of telehealth to ensure that those in urgent need of substance use disorder treatment receive the care they require4 7#ae7 ,as passed and signed into law1 sections #bjja and #ajji of the ,,support for ,patients and ,communities ,act 7,public ,law #aae-bga7 expands the use of telehealth services for the treatment of opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders4 7#af7 ,it is widely recognized that there is a close relationship between mental health and substance use disorders4 #c4 ,medicare treatment of behavioral health services furnished through telehealth ,section #ahcd7m7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7m77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#d77;,c7-- 7,a7 in clause 7i71 by striking and 7#g7 and inserting 7#g71 and 7#aj72 and 7,b7 in clause 7ii77,x7-- 7i7 by striking or telehealth services and inserting 1 telehealth services2 and 7ii7 by inserting or telehealth services described in paragraph 7#aj7 before the period at the end2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#aj7 ,treatment of behavioral health services furnished through telehealth ,the geographic requirements described in paragraph 7#d77;,c77i7 shall not apply with respect to telehealth services that are behavioral health services furnished on or after ,january #a1 #bjbe1 to eligible telehealth individuals1 including initial patient evaluations1 follow-up medical management1 and other behavioral health services1 as determined by the ,secretary1 at an originating site described in paragraph 7#d77;,c77ii7 7other than an originating site described in subclause 7,,ix7 of such paragraph74 4 #d4 ,medicaid mental and behavioral health treatment through telehealth ,section #ajji of the ,,support for ,patients and ,communities ,act 7,public ,law #aae-bga7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 in the header1 by striking treatment for substance use disorders and inserting treatment for substance use disorders and mental health disorders and behavioral health disorders2 7,b7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary and inserting ,the ,secretary2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 by striking treatment for substance use disorders and inserting treatment for substance use disorders and mental health disorders and behavioral health disorders2 and 7ii7 by inserting psychotherapy1 after counseling12 7,d7 in paragraph 7#b71 by inserting or mental health disorders and behavioral health disorders after substance use disorders2 7,e7 in paragraph 7#c71 by inserting and mental health disorders and behavioral health disorders after substance use disorders2 and 7,f7 by adding at the end1 below and after paragraph 7#c71 the following flush left text3 ,the ,secretary shall issue the guidance under this subsection not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 with respect to the matters described in the previous provisions of this subsection relating to substance use disorders1 and not later than #d years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 with respect to the matters described in such previous provisions relating to mental health disorders and behavioral health disorders4 2 7#b7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in the header1 by striking treatment for substance use disorders and inserting treatment for substance use disorders and mental health disorders and behavioral health disorders2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking treatment for substance use disorders and inserting treatment for substance use disorders and mental health disorders and behavioral health disorders each place it appears2 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 by inserting with respect to substance use disorders1 after paragraph 7#a712 and 7ii7 by adding at the end the following new sentence3 ,not later than #d years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general shall submit to ,congress a report containing the results of the evaluation conducted under paragraph 7#a71 with respect to mental health disorders and behavioral health disorders1 together with recommendations for such legislation and administrative action as the ,comptroller ,general determines appropriate42 and 7#c7 in subsection 7d77#a7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by inserting and mental health disorders and behavioral health disorders after substance use disorders2 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by inserting 1 and mental health disorders and behavioral health disorders after opioid use disorder2 and 7,c7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by inserting and mental health disorders and behavioral health disorders after substance use disorders4