,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #acbi  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #h1 #bjbe,mr4   
,ka9e 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,banks1 ,ms4     
,baldw91 ,ms4 ,murk[ski1 & ,mr4 ,wyd57  
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,heal?1 ,education1 ,labor1 & ,p5sions  
,a ,,bill  ,to address ! behavioral     
heal? work=ce %ortages ?r\gh support =  
pe] support speciali/s1 & = o!r         
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,provid+ ,empa!tic &       
,effective ,recov]y ,support ,act or !  
,,pe] ,support ,act4  #b4 ,def9ition (  
pe] support speciali/  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,9  
?is ,act1 ! t]m pe] support speciali/   
means an individual-- 7#a7 7,a7 :o has  
liv$ exp]i5ce ( recov]y f a m5tal heal? 
condition or sub/ance use disord] & :o  
specializes 9 support+ individuals )    
m5tal heal? conditions or sub/ance use  
disord]s2 or  7,b7 :o has liv$ exp]i5ce 
z a p>5t or c>egiv] ( an individual ) a 
m5tal heal? condition or sub/ance use   

disord] & :o specializes 9 support+     
families navigat+ m5tal heal? or        
sub/ance use s]vice sy/ems2 &  7#b7 :o  
is c]tifi$ z qualifi$ to furni% pe]     
support s]vices1 z describ$ 9 subsection
 7b71 "u a process t is det]m9$ by !    
,/ate 9 :i* su* individual furni%es su* 
s]vices or det]m9$ appropriate by !     
,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices4   
7b7 ,pe] support s]vices ,! s]vices     
describ$ 9 ?is subsection %all be       
consi/5t ) ! ,national ,practice        
,guidel9es = ,pe] ,support]s issu$ by ! 
,national ,association ( ,pe] ,support]s
 7or a successor publication7 &         
inclusive ( ! ,core ,compet5cies = ,pe] 
,work]s 9 ,behavioral ,heal? ,s]vices ( 
! ,sub/ance ,abuse & ,m5tal ,heal?      
,s]vices ,adm9i/ration4  #c4 ,recogniz+ 
! pe] support speciali/ pr(ession ,n    
lat] ?an ,janu>y #a1 #bjbf1 ! ,director 
( ! ,(fice ( ,managem5t & ,budget %all  
revise ! ,/&>d ,occupational            
,classification sy/em to include an     
occupational category = pe] support     

speciali/s4  #d4 ,e/abli%+ ! ,(fice (   
,recov]y ,"p ,a ( title ,v ( ! ,public  
,heal? ,s]vice ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4      
#bij;aa et seq47 is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft]
 section #eja;,c 7#db ,u4,s4,c4         
#bij;aa-#j;b7 ! foll[+3  #eja;,d4 ,(fice
 ( ,recov]y  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,!re is       
e/abli%$1 9 ! ,sub/ance ,abuse & ,m5tal 
,heal? ,s]vices ,adm9i/ration1 an ,(fice
 ( ,recov]y 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is section z !
 ,(fice74  7b7 ,director ,! ,(fice %all 
be head$ by a ,director :o has          
demon/rat$ exp]i5ce 91 & liv$ exp]i5ce  
)1 m5tal heal? or sub/ance use disord]  
recov]y4  7c7 ,responsibilities ,?r\gh !
 ,(fice ( ,recov]y1 ! responsibilities (
 ! ,director %all include-- 7#a7 provid+
 lead]%ip 9 ! id5tification ( new &     
em]g+ issues relat$ to recov]y support  
s]vices2  7#b7 support+ te*nical        
assi/ance1 data analysis1 & evaluation  
functions 9 ord] to assi/ ,/ates1       
localities1 t]ritories1 ,indian ,tribes1
 & ,tribal organizations 9 develop+     
recov]y support s]vices & id5tify+ be/  

practices ) ! objective ( exp&+ !       
capacity (1 & access to1 recov]y support
 s]vices2  7#c7 provid+ support = !     
tra9+1 education1 integration1 &        
pr(essionalization ( ! pe] support      
speciali/ work=ce2  7#d7 dissem9at+ be/ 
practice recomm5dations ) respect to pe]
 support speciali/ tra9+1 c]tification1 
sup]vision1 & practice to ,/ates & o!r  
entities t employ pe] support           
speciali/s2  7#e7 support+ pe] support  
speciali/s ) ongo+ pr(essional          
developm5t & ret5tion activities2 &     
7#f7 develop+ recomm5dations on creat+  
c>e] pa?ways = pe] support speciali/s4  
7d7 ,functions ,beg9n+ on ! date (      
enactm5t ( ?is section1 ! functions ( ! 
,(fice %all include ! responsibilities  
describ$ 9 subsection 7c7 & ! functions 
( ! ,(fice ( ,recov]y ( ! ,sub/ance     
,abuse & ,m5tal ,heal? ,s]vices         
,adm9i/ration on ! day be=e su* date (  
enactm5t1 includ+ all ( its p]sonnel1   
assets1 au?orities1 obligations1 &      
liabilities1 except z o!rwise specifi$ 9

 ?is section4  7e7 ,def9ition ( pe]     
support speciali/ ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m 
pe] support speciali/ has ! mean+ giv5  
su* t]m 9 section #b ( ! ,provid+       
,empa!tic & ,effective ,recov]y ,support
 ,act4  4  #e4 ,rese>* & recomm5dations 
on crim9al backgr\nd *eck process = pe] 
support speciali/s  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,!     
,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices    
7ref]r$ to 9 ?is section z ! ,secret>y71
 9 coord9ation ) ! ,attorney ,g5]al1    
%all develop a report on rese>* &       
recomm5dations ) respect to crim9al     
backgr\nd *eck processes = individuals  
becom+ pe] support speciali/s4  7b7     
,cont5ts ,! report "u subsection 7a7    
%all include-- 7#a7 a summ>y (          
evid5ce-in=m$ lit]ature on !            
effectiv5ess ( pe] support speciali/s 9 
improv+ ! m5tal heal? & ! sub/ance use  
disord] recov]y ( o!r individuals2  7#b7
 a survey ( ea* ,/ate's laws 7includ+   
regulations7 t conta9 crim9al backgr\nd 
*eck requirem5ts = s]v+ z a pe] support 
speciali/1 includ+-- 7,a7 an analysis ( 

crim9al (f5ses t are includ$ 9 ,/ate    
laws 7includ+ regulations7 t prev5t     
individuals f e>n+ a pe] support        
speciali/ c]tification or f practic+ z a
 pe] support speciali/2  7,b7 an        
analysis ( requirem5ts 7if any7 "u !    
,/ate plan "u title ,,xix ( ! ,social   
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et  
seq47 or "u a waiv] ( su* plan relat+ to
 backgr\nd *ecks = provid]s p>ticipat+  
"u su* plan or waiv] & ! ext5t to :i*   
any su* requirem5ts diff] f simil>      
requirem5ts impos$ "u ,/ate law 7includ+
 regulations72  7,c7 an analysis (      
requirem5ts 7if any7 ( any ,/ate receiv+
 a grant "u "p ,b ( title ,,xix ( !     
,public ,heal? ,s]vice ,act 7#db        
,u4,s4,c4 #cjjx et seq47 relat+ to      
backgr\nd *ecks = provid]s p>ticipat+ 9 
a program "u1 or o!rwise provid+ s]vices
 support$ by1 su* grant2  7,d7 a review 
( ,/ate laws 7includ+ regulations7 t    
provide exemptions f prohibitions reg>d+
 c]tification or practice ( pe] support 
speciali/s2 &  7,e7 an indication ( ea* 

,/ate t has gone ?r\gh ! process ( am5d+
 or o!rwise *ang+ crim9al backgr\nd *eck
 laws 7includ+ regulations7 = !         
c]tification & practice ( pe] support   
speciali/s2 &  7#c7 recomm5dations to   
,/ates on crim9al backgr\nd *eck        
processes t w\ld r$uce b>ri]s to becom+ 
c]tifi$ z pe] support speciali/s4  7c7  
,availability ,n lat] ?an #a ye> aft] ! 
date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y 
%all-- 7#a7 po/ ! report requir$ "u     
subsection 7a7 on ! publicly accessible 
int]net website ( ! ,sub/ance ,abuse &  
,m5tal ,heal? ,s]vices ,adm9i/ration2 & 
7#b7 di/ribute su* report to-- 7,a7     
,/ate ag5cies responsible = c]tification
 ( pe] support speciali/s2  7,b7 !      
,c5t]s = ,m$ic>e  ,m$icaid ,s]vices2    
7,c7 ,/ate ag5cies responsible = c>ry+  
out a ,/ate plan "u title ,,xix ( !     
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#acif et seq47 or "u a waiv] ( su* plan2
 &  7,d7 ,/ate ag5cies responsible =    
c>ry+ out a grant "u "p ,b ( title ,,xix
 ( ! ,public ,heal? ,s]vice ,act 7#db   

,u4,s4,c4 #cjjx et seq474