,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #acbi ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #h1 #bjbe,mr4 ,kaine 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,banks1 ,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,ms4 ,murkowski1 and ,mr4 ,wyden7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to address the behavioral health workforce shortages through support for peer support specialists1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,providing ,empathetic and ,effective ,recovery ,support ,act or the ,,peer ,support ,act4 #b4 ,definition of peer support specialist 7a7 ,in general ,in this ,act1 the term peer support specialist means an individual-- 7#a7 7,a7 who has lived experience of recovery from a mental health condition or substance use disorder and who specializes in supporting individuals with mental health conditions or substance use disorders2 or 7,b7 who has lived experience as a parent or caregiver of an individual with a mental health condition or substance use disorder and who specializes in supporting families navigating mental health or substance use service systems2 and 7#b7 who is certified as qualified to furnish peer support services1 as described in subsection 7b71 under a process that is determined by the ,state in which such individual furnishes such services or determined appropriate by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7b7 ,peer support services ,the services described in this subsection shall be consistent with the ,national ,practice ,guidelines for ,peer ,supporters issued by the ,national ,association of ,peer ,supporters 7or a successor publication7 and inclusive of the ,core ,competencies for ,peer ,workers in ,behavioral ,health ,services of the ,substance ,abuse and ,mental ,health ,services ,administration4 #c4 ,recognizing the peer support specialist profession ,not later than ,january #a1 #bjbf1 the ,director of the ,office of ,management and ,budget shall revise the ,standard ,occupational ,classification system to include an occupational category for peer support specialists4 #d4 ,establishing the ,office of ,recovery ,part ,a of title ,v of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bij;aa et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #eja;,c 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bij;aa-#j;b7 the following3 #eja;,d4 ,office of ,recovery 7a7 ,in general ,there is established1 in the ,substance ,abuse and ,mental ,health ,services ,administration1 an ,office of ,recovery 7referred to in this section as the ,office74 7b7 ,director ,the ,office shall be headed by a ,director who has demonstrated experience in1 and lived experience with1 mental health or substance use disorder recovery4 7c7 ,responsibilities ,through the ,office of ,recovery1 the responsibilities of the ,director shall include-- 7#a7 providing leadership in the identification of new and emerging issues related to recovery support services2 7#b7 supporting technical assistance1 data analysis1 and evaluation functions in order to assist ,states1 localities1 territories1 ,indian ,tribes1 and ,tribal organizations in developing recovery support services and identifying best practices with the objective of expanding the capacity of1 and access to1 recovery support services2 7#c7 providing support for the training1 education1 integration1 and professionalization of the peer support specialist workforce2 7#d7 disseminating best practice recommendations with respect to peer support specialist training1 certification1 supervision1 and practice to ,states and other entities that employ peer support specialists2 7#e7 supporting peer support specialists with ongoing professional development and retention activities2 and 7#f7 developing recommendations on creating career pathways for peer support specialists4 7d7 ,functions ,beginning on the date of enactment of this section1 the functions of the ,office shall include the responsibilities described in subsection 7c7 and the functions of the ,office of ,recovery of the ,substance ,abuse and ,mental ,health ,services ,administration on the day before such date of enactment1 including all of its personnel1 assets1 authorities1 obligations1 and liabilities1 except as otherwise specified in this section4 7e7 ,definition of peer support specialist ,in this section1 the term peer support specialist has the meaning given such term in section #b of the ,providing ,empathetic and ,effective ,recovery ,support ,act4 4 #e4 ,research and recommendations on criminal background check process for peer support specialists 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services 7referred to in this section as the ,secretary71 in coordination with the ,attorney ,general1 shall develop a report on research and recommendations with respect to criminal background check processes for individuals becoming peer support specialists4 7b7 ,contents ,the report under subsection 7a7 shall include-- 7#a7 a summary of evidence-informed literature on the effectiveness of peer support specialists in improving the mental health and the substance use disorder recovery of other individuals2 7#b7 a survey of each ,state's laws 7including regulations7 that contain criminal background check requirements for serving as a peer support specialist1 including-- 7,a7 an analysis of criminal offenses that are included in ,state laws 7including regulations7 that prevent individuals from earning a peer support specialist certification or from practicing as a peer support specialist2 7,b7 an analysis of requirements 7if any7 under the ,state plan under title ,,xix of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et seq47 or under a waiver of such plan relating to background checks for providers participating under such plan or waiver and the extent to which any such requirements differ from similar requirements imposed under ,state law 7including regulations72 7,c7 an analysis of requirements 7if any7 of any ,state receiving a grant under part ,b of title ,,xix of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjx et seq47 relating to background checks for providers participating in a program under1 or otherwise providing services supported by1 such grant2 7,d7 a review of ,state laws 7including regulations7 that provide exemptions from prohibitions regarding certification or practice of peer support specialists2 and 7,e7 an indication of each ,state that has gone through the process of amending or otherwise changing criminal background check laws 7including regulations7 for the certification and practice of peer support specialists2 and 7#c7 recommendations to ,states on criminal background check processes that would reduce barriers to becoming certified as peer support specialists4 7c7 ,availability ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 post the report required under subsection 7a7 on the publicly accessible internet website of the ,substance ,abuse and ,mental ,health ,services ,administration2 and 7#b7 distribute such report to-- 7,a7 ,state agencies responsible for certification of peer support specialists2 7,b7 the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services2 7,c7 ,state agencies responsible for carrying out a ,state plan under title ,,xix of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et seq47 or under a waiver of such plan2 and 7,d7 ,state agencies responsible for carrying out a grant under part ,b of title ,,xix of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjx et seq474