,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #gfg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #i1 #bjbc,mr4 ,casey 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,mrs4 ,shaheen1 ,mrs4 ,murray1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 and ,mr4 ,fetterman7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to enhance mental health and psychosocial support within ,united ,states development and humanitarian assistance programs4 #a4 ,short titles ,this ,act may be cited as the ,mental ,health in ,international ,development and ,humanitarian ,settings ,act or the ,,minds ,act4 #b4 ,findings2 sense of ,congress 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,according to the ,world ,health ,organization 7referred to in this section as ,,who71 an estimated #a1jjj1jjj1jjj individuals worldwide have a mental health or substance use disorder4 7#b7 ,the ,lancet ,commission estimates that nearly #acj1jjj1jjj additional cases of major depressive and anxiety disorders globally in #bjbj resulted from the ,,covid-#ai pandemic4 7#c7 ,according to ,,who-- 7,a7 depression is among the primary causes of illness and disability in adolescents2 7,b7 #ej percent of mental health disorders emerge by the time an adolescent reaches #ad years of age2 and 7,c7 #ad percent of children and adolescents worldwide experience mental health conditions1 the majority of whom do not seek care1 receive care1 or have access to care4 7#d7 ,according to a report commissioned by the ,united ,nations-- 7,a7 more than #a out of every #e individuals living in a conflict-affected area has a mental health disorder2 7,b7 approximately #a1ejj1jjj1jjj 7or #b out of every #c7 of the world's children younger than #ah years of age live in countries affected by conflict2 7,c7 more than #a out of every #f children live in conflict zones2 7,d7 a greater number of children live in areas affected by armed conflict and war now than at any other time during this century2 and 7,e7 the mental health burden in conflict-affected contexts is twice the global average4 7#e7 ,according to the ,,who-- 7,a7 risk factors that increase susceptibility to mental health disorders include-- 7i7 poverty and hunger2 7ii7 chronic health conditions2 7iii7 trauma or maltreatment2 7iv7 social exclusion2 7v7 discrimination2 and 7vi7 exposure to1 and displacement by1 war or conflict2 7,b7 these risk factors1 along with demographic risk factors1 manifest at all stages in life2 7,c7 preliminary research illustrates that the ,,covid-#ai pandemic-- 7i7 has increased the risk factors affecting communities1 families1 and individuals for multiple types of adversity2 and 7ii7 compounded preexisting conditions and vulnerabilities4 7#f7 ,according to a ,lancet ,commission report-- 7,a7 allocations for mental health have never risen above #a percent of health-related global development assistance2 and 7,b7 child and adolescent mental health services receive an estimated #j4a percent of health-related global development assistance4 7b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 helping to ensure that individuals have the opportunity to thrive and reach their fullest potential is a critical component of effective and sustainable international development efforts2 7#b7 mental health is integral and essential to overall health outcomes and other development objectives2 7#c7 mental health is an issue of critical and growing importance for ,united ,states development and humanitarian assistance programs that requires coordinated efforts to ensure that programming funded by the ,united ,states ,government is evidence-based1 culturally competent1 and trauma-informed2 7#d7 the relevant ,united ,states ,government development and humanitarian assistance strategies should include a mental health and psychosocial support component2 7#e7 the redesign of ,,usaid-- 7,a7 reflects the nexus between humanitarian and development interventions2 and 7,b7 should be applied to all mental health and psychosocial support efforts of ,united ,states development and humanitarian assistance programs2 and 7#f7 ongoing efforts to improve social service workforce development and local capacity building are essential to expanding mental health and psychosocial support activities across all ,united ,states development and humanitarian assistance programs4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of ,,usaid4 7#b7 ,,usaid ,the term ,,usaid means the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development4 #d4 ,coordinator for mental health and psychosocial support ,section #ace of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baeb;f7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsection 7f7 as subsection 7g72 and 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7e7 the following3 7f7 ,coordinator for mental health and psychosocial support 7#a7 ,appointment ,the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,state1 is authorized to appoint a ,mental ,health and ,psychosocial ,support ,coordinator 7referred to in this section as the ,,mhpss ,coordinator74 7#b7 ,specific duties ,the ,,mhpss ,coordinator shall-- 7,a7 establish and chair the ,mental ,health and ,psychosocial ,support ,working ,group authorized under section #d of the ,,minds ,act2 7,b7 guide1 oversee1 and direct mental health and psychosocial support programming and integration across ,united ,states foreign assistance programming2 7,c7 serve as the main point of contact on mental health and psychosocial support in the ,bureau for ,global ,health1 the ,bureau for ,humanitarian ,assistance1 regional bureaus1 the ,center for ,education and the ,inclusive ,development ,hub in the ,bureau for ,development1 ,democracy1 and ,innovation1 other bureaus1 the ,office of the ,global ,,aids ,coordinator and ,global ,health ,diplomacy1 and other interagency or presidential initiatives2 7,d7 promote best practices1 coordination and reporting in mental health and psychosocial support programming across ,united ,states development and humanitarian assistance programs2 7,e7 provide direction1 guidance1 and oversight on the integration of mental health and psychosocial support in ,united ,states development and humanitarian assistance programs2 and 7,f7 participate in the ,advancing ,protection and ,care for ,children in ,adversity ,interagency ,working ,group4 7#c7 ,focus populations ,the ,,mhpss ,coordinator1 as appropriate1 should prioritize populations with increased risk factors for developing mental health disorders1 including-- 7,a7 adult caretakers and children1 including families and adults who are long-term caretakers2 7,b7 children and others who are separated from a family unit2 and 7,c7 other specific populations in need of mental health and psychosocial support1 such as crisis affected communities1 displaced populations1 gender-based violence survivors1 and individuals and households coping with the consequences of diseases1 such as ,ebola1 ,,hiv_/,,aids1 and ,,covid-#ai4 4 #e4 ,mental ,health and ,psychosocial ,support ,working ,group ,the ,administrator1 in cooperation with the ,mental ,health and ,psychosocial ,support ,coordinator appointed pursuant to section #ace7;f7 of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa1 as added by section #d1 shall establish the ,mental ,health and ,psychosocial ,support ,working ,group1 which shall include senior representatives from relevant ,,usaid bureaus1 the ,department of ,state1 and other ,federal departments and agencies1 as appropriate1 to ensure continuity and integration of mental health and psychosocial support across ,united ,states development and humanitarian assistance programs4 #f4 ,integration of mental health and psychosocial support 7a7 ,statement of policy ,it is the policy of the ,united ,states to integrate mental health and psychosocial support across all relevant ,united ,states development and humanitarian assistance programs4 7b7 ,implementation of policy ,the ,administrator and the ,secretary of ,state should-- 7#a7 require all ,,usaid and ,department of ,state regional bureaus and missions to advance the policy described in subsection 7a7 through relevant development and humanitarian assistance efforts1 including by building local capacity to inform1 design1 and implement mental health and psychosocial support programming2 7#b7 ensure that all ,,usaid and ,department of ,state mental health and psychosocial support programming-- 7,a7 is evidence-based and culturally competent2 7,b7 responds to all types of childhood adversity2 and 7,c7 includes trauma-specific interventions in accordance with the recognized principles of a trauma-informed approach1 whenever applicable2 and 7#c7 integrate the principles of the ,advancing ,protection and ,care for ,children in ,adversity ,strategy4 #g4 ,consultation and reporting requirements 7a7 ,consultation ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,state1 shall consult with the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives regarding-- 7#a7 the progress made in carrying out section #f7;b72 and 7#b7 any barriers preventing the full integration of the strategy referred to in section #f7;b77#c74 7b7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter for the following #e fiscal years1 the ,administrator and the ,secretary of ,state1 in consultation with the ,mental ,health and ,psychosocial ,support ,coordinator appointed pursuant to section #ace7;f7 of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa1 as added by section #d1 and the ,director of the ,office of ,management and ,budget1 as necessary and appropriate1 shall submit a report to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives that describes-- 7#a7 the amount of ,united ,states development and humanitarian assistance program funding that was obligated and expended during the most recently concluded fiscal year on mental health and psychosocial support programming2 7#b7 how ,,usaid and the ,department of ,state are working to integrate mental health and psychosocial programming1 including child-specific programming1 into their development and humanitarian assistance programs across relevant sectors1 including health1 education1 nutrition1 and protection2 7#c7 the metrics of success of the ,advancing ,protection and ,care for ,children in ,adversity ,strategy and the progress made towards achieving broader mental health outcomes2 7#d7 the programs in which trauma-specific strategies are being implemented1 and how best practices for trauma-informed programming are being shared across programs2 7#e7 any barriers preventing full integration of child mental health and psychosocial support into programs for children and youth1 and recommendations for modifications or expansion of such programs2 7#f7 any barriers to the expansion of mental health and psychosocial support programming in conflict and humanitarian settings1 and how such barriers are being addressed2 7#g7 the impact of the ,,covid-#ai pandemic on mental health and psychosocial support programming2 and 7#h7 funding data1 including a list of programs to which ,,usaid and the ,department of ,state have obligated funds during the most recently concluded fiscal year to improve access to1 and the quality of1 mental health and psychosocial support programming in development and humanitarian contexts4 #h4 ,sunset ,this ,act1 and the amendments made by this ,act1 shall terminate on the date that is #e years after the date of the enactment of this ,act4