Sec. 514. Behavioral health crisis systems
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/bill/114/hr/4435/ih/section-514·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: The term eligible entity means a State, political subdivision of a State, or nonprofit private entity. The term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The term State means each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian tribe. The Secretary shall establish a program to award grants to eligible entities to establish and implement a system for preventing and de-escalating behavioral health crises.
Grants under this section may be used to carry out programs that— expand early intervention and treatment services to improve access to behavioral health crisis assistance and address unmet behavioral health care needs; expand the continuum of services to address crisis prevention, crisis intervention, and crisis stabilization; and reduce unnecessary hospitalizations by appropriately utilizing community-based services and improving access to timely behavioral health crisis assistance.
The programs described in subparagraph
(A)may include activities such as: Mobile support or crisis support centers that provide field-based behavioral health assistance to individuals with mental health or substance use disorders and links such individuals in crisis to appropriate services. School and community-based early intervention and prevention programs that provide mobile response, screening and assessment, training and education, and peer-based and family services. Mental health crisis intervention and response training for law enforcement officers to increase officers’ understanding and recognition of mental illnesses as well as increase their awareness of health care services available to individuals in crisis. To be considered for a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. At minimum, such application shall include a description of— the activities to be funded with the grant; community needs; the population to be served; and the interaction between the activities described in subparagraph
(A)and public systems of health and mental health care, law enforcement, social services, and related assistance programs. Grants shall be awarded to eligible entities on a competitive basis. The Secretary shall evaluate applicants based on such criteria as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, including the ability of an applicant to carry out the activities described in paragraph (2). As a condition of receiving a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall agree to submit a report to the Secretary, on an annual basis, describing the activities carried out with the grant and assessing the effectiveness of such activities. The Secretary shall, on an annual basis, and using the reports received under clause (i), report to Congress on the overall impact and effectiveness of the grant program under this section. Not later than January 15, 2021, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a final report that includes recommendations with respect to the feasibility and advisability of extending or expanding the grant program. The report shall also provide an assessment of which systems and system elements proved most effective. The Secretary shall collect data on the grant program to determine its effectiveness in reducing the social impact of mental health crises and the feasibility and advisability of extending the grant program. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021.