,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #addh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #aj1 #bjbe,ms4 ,hirono 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,ms4 ,warren1 and ,mr4 ,booker7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to address mental health issues for youth1 particularly youth of color1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,pursuing ,equity in ,mental ,health ,act4 #b4 ,primary and ,behavioral ,health ,care grant program ,section #ebj,k of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bij;bb-#db7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsections 7d7 through 7i7 as subsections 7e7 through 7j71 respectively2 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7c7 the following3 7d7 ,special consideration regarding services for racial and ethnic minority groups ,in awarding grants under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary may1 as appropriate1 give special consideration to eligible entities serving a high proportion of racial and ethnic minority groups4 2 7#c7 in subsection 7c77#b77;,g71 by striking subsection 7e7 and inserting subsection 7f72 7#d7 in subsection 7i7 7as redesignated by paragraph 7#a77-- 7,a7 by striking subsection 7f7 and inserting subsection 7g72 and 7,b7 by striking subsection 7d77#b7 and inserting subsection 7e77#b72 and 7#e7 in subsection 7j77#a7 7as redesignated by paragraph 7#a771 by striking #fj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg and inserting #fj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbe and #hj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjca4 #c4 ,addressing racial and ethnic minority mental health disparities research gaps ,not later than #i months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,national ,institutes of ,health1 in consultation with the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,mental ,health1 the ,director of the ,national ,institute on ,minority ,health and ,health ,disparities1 and the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use1 shall enter into an arrangement with the ,national ,academies of ,sciences1 ,engineering1 and ,medicine 7or1 if the ,national ,academies of ,sciences1 ,engineering1 and ,medicine decline to enter into such an arrangement1 the ,patient-,centered ,outcomes ,research ,institute or another appropriate entity7-- 7#a7 to conduct a study with respect to mental health disparities research gaps in racial and ethnic minority groups 7as defined in section #agjg7;g7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjju-#f7;g7772 and 7#b7 to submit to ,congress a report on the results of such study1 including-- 7,a7 a compilation of information on the prevalence of mental health outcomes in such racial and ethnic minority groups2 7,b7 an assessment of information on the impact of exposure to community violence1 adverse childhood experiences1 structural bias1 and other psychological traumas on mental health outcomes in such racial and minority groups2 and 7,c7 a selection of potential recommendations that can remedy the research gap in such racial and ethnic minority groups4 ,if no arrangement can be made with an entity specified in the previous sentence1 the ,agency for ,healthcare ,research and ,quality shall conduct the study and submit the report1 as described in paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b74 #d4 ,health professions competencies to address racial and ethnic minority mental health disparities ,section #eig of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bijll7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsections 7b7 and 7c7 as subsections 7c7 and 7d71 respectively2 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7a7 the following3 7b7 ,best practices2 core competencies ,an individual receiving a fellowship under subsection 7a71 or an entity selected by the ,assistant ,secretary to administer the program under this section1 may use amounts awarded under this section to engage in the following activities related to the development and dissemination of best practices or core competencies addressing mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups for use in the training of students in the professions of social work1 psychology1 psychiatry1 addiction medicine1 marriage and family therapy1 mental health counseling1 and substance misuse counseling3 7#a7 ,formation of committees or working groups comprised of experts from accredited health professions schools to identify best practices and core competencies relating to mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups4 7#b7 ,planning of workshops in national fora to allow for public input into the educational needs associated with mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups4 7#c7 ,dissemination and promotion of the use of best practices or core competencies in undergraduate and graduate health professions training programs nationwide4 7#d7 ,establishing external advisory boards to provide meaningful input into policy and program development and best practices to reduce mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups4 2 and 7#c7 in subsection 7d7 7as so redesignated71 by striking #bjbg and inserting #bjca4 #e4 ,racial and ethnic minority behavioral and mental health outreach and education strategy ,part ,d of title ,v of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bij;dd et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #eec 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bij;ee-#aj7 of such ,act the following3 #eed4 ,behavioral and mental health outreach and education strategy 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall1 in consultation with advocacy and behavioral and mental health organizations serving racial and ethnic minority groups1 develop and implement an outreach and education strategy to promote behavioral and mental health and reduce stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance use among racial and ethnic minority groups4 ,such strategy shall-- 7#a7 be designed to-- 7,a7 meet the diverse cultural and language needs of the various racial and ethnic minority groups2 and 7,b7 be developmentally and age-appropriate2 7#b7 increase awareness of symptoms of mental illnesses common among such groups1 taking into account differences within at-risk subgroups2 7#c7 provide information on evidence-based1 culturally and linguistically appropriate and adapted interventions and treatments2 7#d7 ensure full participation of1 and engage1 both individuals receiving behavioral and mental health services and other community members1 which may include adolescents and young adults1 in the development and implementation of materials2 and 7#e7 seek to broaden the perspective among both individuals in racial and ethnic minority groups and communities serving such groups to use a comprehensive and integrated public health approach to promoting behavioral health by focusing on the intersection between behavioral and physical health4 7b7 ,reports ,beginning not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this section1 and annually thereafter for #e years1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress1 and make publicly available1 a report on the extent to which the strategy developed and implemented under subsection 7a7 addressed behavioral and mental health outcomes associated with mental health conditions and substance use among racial and ethnic minority groups4 7c7 ,definition ,in this section1 the term racial and ethnic minority group has the meaning given to that term in section #agjg7;g74 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #bj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjca4 4 #f4 ,additional funds for ,national ,institutes of ,health 7a7 ,in general ,in addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to the ,national ,institutes of ,health1 there is authorized to be appropriated to such ,institutes #aej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjca to-- 7#a7 build relations with communities and conduct or support clinical research1 including clinical research on racial or ethnic disparities in physical and mental health2 and 7#b7 to carry out the ,strategic ,framework ,for ,addressing ,youth ,mental ,health ,disparities developed by the ,national ,institute of ,mental ,health4 7b7 ,definition ,in this section1 the term clinical research has the meaning given to such term in section #dji of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bhd;d74 #g4 ,additional funds for ,national ,institute on ,minority ,health and ,health ,disparities ,in addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to the ,national ,institute on ,minority ,health and ,health ,disparities1 there is authorized to be appropriated to such ,institute #gej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjca4