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House Bill 4131
116th Congress(2019-2020)
Improving Access to Remote Behavioral Health Treatment Act of 2019
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in House on Jul 30, 2019
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Introduced in House 
Jul 30, 2019
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Introduced in House(Jul 30, 2019)
Jul 30, 2019
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Multiple bills can contain the same text. This could be an identical bill in the opposite chamber or a smaller bill with a section embedded in a larger bill.
Bill Sponsor regularly scans bill texts to find sections that are contained in other bill texts. When a matching section is found, the bills containing that section can be viewed by clicking "View Bills" within the bill text section.
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H. R. 4131 (Introduced-in-House)


116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4131


To amend the Controlled Substances Act to clarify the eligibility of certain community mental health centers to register for purposes of the practice of telemedicine, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 30, 2019

Ms. Matsui (for herself, Mrs. Brooks of Indiana, Mr. O'Halleran, Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire, and Mr. Wittman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To amend the Controlled Substances Act to clarify the eligibility of certain community mental health centers to register for purposes of the practice of telemedicine, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “Improving Access to Remote Behavioral Health Treatment Act of 2019”.

SEC. 2. Registration of qualified community mental health centers.

(a) Definitions.—Section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802) is amended—

(1) by striking paragraph (54)(A)(i) and inserting the following:

“(i) while the patient is being treated by, and physically located in—

“(I) a hospital or clinic registered under section 303(f); or

“(II) a qualified community mental health center registered under section 303(l); and”;

(2) by redesignating paragraph (58) as paragraph (59);

(3) by redesignating the second paragraph (57) (as added by section 401(a) of the First Step Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–391)) as paragraph (58); and

(4) by adding at the end the following:

“(60) The term ‘qualified community mental health center’ means a facility that—

“(A) (i) meets the criteria specified in section 1913(c) of the Public Health Service Act to be considered a community mental health center; or

“(ii) meets the criteria specified pursuant to section 223 of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 to be considered a certified community behavioral health clinic; and

“(B) is licensed, operated, authorized, certified, or otherwise recognized by a State government.”.

(b) Registration.—Section 303 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 823) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(l) Qualified community mental health centers.—

“(1) REGISTRATION.—The Attorney General shall register qualified community mental health centers to administer controlled substances through the practice of telemedicine.

“(2) DENIAL OF APPLICATIONS.—The Attorney General may deny an application for registration under paragraph (1) if the Attorney General determines that the registration would be inconsistent with the public interest after considering—

“(A) any recommendation by the licensing board or professional disciplinary authority of the State in which the applicant is located;

“(B) the experience of the applicant in treating patients;

“(C) any conviction of an employee of the applicant under Federal or State law relating to treatment of patients;

“(D) the compliance of the applicant with applicable Federal, State, or local laws relating to treatment of patients; and

“(E) any other conduct by the applicant that may threaten the public’s health and safety.”.

(c) Report to Congress.—Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General of the United States shall submit to the Congress a plan for implementation of the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b).

(d) Delayed applicability.—The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) apply beginning on the date that is 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act.