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Senate Bill 4677
117th Congress(2021-2022)
Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act of 2022
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in Senate on Jul 28, 2022
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Introduced in Senate 
Jul 28, 2022
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Introduced in Senate(Jul 28, 2022)
Jul 28, 2022
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S. 4677 (Introduced-in-Senate)


117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4677


To increase language access to mental health services at certain health centers, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 28, 2022

Mr. Heinrich (for himself, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Booker, and Ms. Warren) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To increase language access to mental health services at certain health centers, 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 “Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act of 2022”.

SEC. 2. Pilot program to increase language access at Federally qualified health centers.

(a) Loan repayments to qualified mental health professionals.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—For the purpose of increasing language access to mental health services, the Secretary shall carry out a demonstration project under which—

(A) the Secretary matches qualified mental health professionals with Federally qualified health centers;

(B) the qualified mental health professionals each agree to a period of obligated service at a Federally qualified health center with which they are so matched; and

(C) the Secretary agrees to make loan repayments under section 338B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l–1) on behalf of such qualified mental health professionals.

(2) PREFERENCE.—In matching qualified mental health professionals with Federally qualified health centers under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to placement at Federally qualified health centers at which at least 20 percent of the patients are best served in a language other than English, as indicated by data in the Uniform Data System (or any successor database) or as otherwise determined by the Secretary.

(3) ENHANCED COMPENSATION.—For each year of obligated service that a qualified mental health professional contracts to serve under paragraph (1) at a Federally qualified health center at which at least 20 percent of the patients are best served in a language other than English, as indicated by data in the Uniform Data System (or any successor database) or as otherwise determined by the Secretary, the Secretary shall pay the qualified mental health professional—

(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), $10,000 above the maximum amount otherwise applicable under section 338B(g)(2)(A) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l–1(g)(2)(A)); or

(B) if the qualified mental health professional is fluent in a language other than English that is needed by such Federally qualified health center, $15,000 above such maximum amount.

(4) ACHIEVING FLUENCY.—A qualified mental health professional subject to the pay amount specified in paragraph (3)(A) at the beginning of the professional’s period of obligated service may transition to being subject to the higher pay amount specified in paragraph (3)(B) if the professional is determined by the Federally qualified health center at which the professional serves to have achieved fluency in a language other than English needed by that health center.

(b) Grants to health centers.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out a demonstration program consisting of awarding grants under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) to Federally qualified health centers to recruit, hire, employ, and supervise qualified mental health professionals who are fluent in a language other than English to provide mental health services in such other language.

(2) PREFERENCE.—In selecting grant recipients under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to Federally qualified health centers at which at least 20 percent of the patients are best served in a language other than English, as indicated by data in the Uniform Data System (or any successor database) or as otherwise determined by the Secretary.

(3) MARKETING.—A Federally qualified health center receiving a grant under this subsection shall use a portion of the grant funds to disseminate information about, and otherwise market, the mental health services supported through the grant.

(c) Reports.—

(1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after the first loan repayment awards have been made under subsection (a) and the first grants have been awarded under subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and to other appropriate congressional committees, a report on the implementation of the programs under this section. Such report shall include—

(A) the languages spoken by the qualified mental health professionals receiving loan repayments pursuant to subsection (a) or recruited pursuant to a grant under subsection (b);

(B) the Federally qualified health centers at which such professionals were placed;

(C) how many Federally qualified health centers received funding through the grant program under subsection (b);

(D) an analysis, conducted in consultation with the Federally qualified health centers receiving grants under section (b), of the effectiveness of such grants at increasing language access to mental health services; and

(E) best practices, developed in consultation with Federally qualified health centers receiving grants under section (b), for the recruitment and retention of mental health professionals at Federally qualified health centers.

(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than September 30, 2026, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and to other appropriate congressional committees, a final report on the implementation of the programs under this section, including the information, analysis, and best practices listed in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1).

(d) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER.—The term “Federally qualified health center” has the meaning given the term in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)).

(2) QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.—The term “qualified mental health professional” means—

(A) a physician, allopathic physician, osteopathic physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant with a specialty in mental health and psychiatry;

(B) a health service psychologist;

(C) a licensed clinical social worker;

(D) a psychiatric nurse specialist;

(E) a marriage and family therapist;

(F) a licensed professional counselor;

(G) a substance use disorder counselor;

(H) an occupational therapist; or

(I) any other individual who—

(i) has not yet been licensed or certified to serve as a professional listed in any of subparagraphs (A) through (H); and

(ii) will serve at the Federally qualified health center under the supervision of a licensed individual or certified professional so listed.

(3) SECRETARY.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

(e) Authorization of appropriations.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $75,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

(2) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Amounts made available to carry out this section shall be in addition to amounts otherwise available to provide mental health services at Federally qualified health centers pursuant to sections 338B and 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l–1, 254b).