I
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7073
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 15, 2022
Ms. Clark of Massachusetts (for herself, Ms. Herrera Beutler, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Burgess, Ms. Clarke of New York, and Mrs. Kim of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a grant program for screening, assessment, and treatment services for maternal mental health and substance use disorders, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Into the Light for Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Act of 2022
or the Into the Light for MMH and SUD Act of 2022
.
Findings
Congress finds the following:
Maternal mental health conditions are the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth, affecting 1 in 5 women or 800,000 women annually, during pregnancy or the year following pregnancy.
Maternal mental health and substance use disorders contribute to the high rate of maternal mortality in the United States, with suicide and drug overdose combined being the leading cause of death for women in the first year following pregnancy.
Women who experience racial and economic inequities are 3 to 4 times more likely to be impacted by maternal mental health and other behavioral health disorders.
Untreated maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders can have long-term negative impacts on the mother, baby, family, and society.
Mothers with untreated mental health conditions during pregnancy are more likely to have poor nutrition and struggle with substance use disorders, which can lead to poor birth outcomes for the baby.
Untreated maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders can contribute to—
impaired parent-child interactions;
behavioral, cognitive, or emotional delays in the child; and
adverse childhood experiences that can negatively impact the child’s life.
Untreated maternal mental health conditions are estimated to cost the United States economy $14,000,000,000 or $32,000 per mother-infant pair every year in addressing poor health outcomes and accounting for lost wages and productivity of the mother.
Although the United States Preventive Services Task Force and several national medical organizations encourage health care providers to screen and treat maternal mental health conditions, 75 percent of women impacted remain untreated.
Frontline providers who care for women during pregnancy and the first year following pregnancy are often reluctant to screen for maternal mental health conditions, citing lack of education, insurance reimbursement, and resources for affected women.
Screening and treatment for a maternal mental health and substance use disorders
In general
Section 317L–1 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–13a) is amended—
in the section heading, by striking maternal depression
and inserting maternal mental health and substance use disorders
; and
in subsection (a)—
by inserting , Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act), and Urban Indian organizations (as such term is defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act)
after States
; and
by striking for women who are pregnant, or who have given birth within the preceding 12 months, for maternal depression
and inserting for women who are postpartum, pregnant, or have given birth within the preceding 12 months, for maternal mental health and substance use disorders
.
Application
Subsection (b) of section 317L–1 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–13a) is amended—
by striking a State shall submit
and inserting an entity listed in subsection (a) shall submit
; and
in paragraphs (1) and (2), by striking maternal depression
each place it appears and inserting maternal mental health and substance use disorders
.
Priority
Subsection (c) of section 317L–1 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–13a) is amended—
by striking may give priority to States proposing to improve or enhance access to screening
and inserting the following:
shall give priority to entities listed in subsection (a) that—
are proposing to create, improve, or enhance screening, prevention, and treatment
;
by striking maternal depression
and inserting maternal mental health and substance use disorders
;
by striking the period at the end of paragraph (1), as so designated, and inserting a semicolon; and
by inserting after such paragraph (1) the following:
are currently partnered with, or will partner with, a community-based organization to address maternal mental health and substance use disorders;
are located in an area with high rates of adverse maternal health outcomes or significant health, economic, racial, or ethnic disparities in maternal health and substance use disorder outcomes; and
operate in a health professional shortage area designated under section 332.
.
Use of funds
Subsection (d) of section 317L–1 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–13a) is amended—
in paragraph (1)—
in subparagraph (A), by striking to health care providers; and
and inserting on maternal mental health and substance use disorder screening, brief intervention, treatment (as applicable for health care providers), and referrals for treatment to health care providers in the primary care setting and nonclinical perinatal support workers;
;
in subparagraph (B), by striking to health care providers, including information on maternal depression screening, treatment, and followup support services, and linkages to community-based resources; and
and inserting on maternal mental health and substance use disorder screening, brief intervention, treatment (as applicable for health care providers) and referrals for treatment, followup support services, and linkages to community-based resources to health care providers in the primary care setting and clinical perinatal support workers; and
; and
by adding at the end the following:
enabling health care providers (such as obstetrician-gynecologists, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, pediatricians, psychiatrists, mental and other behavioral health care providers, and adult primary care clinicians) to provide or receive real-time psychiatric consultation (in-person or remotely), including through the use of technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building models (as defined in section 330N), to aid in the treatment of pregnant and postpartum women; and
; and
in paragraph (2)—
by striking subparagraph (A) and redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;
in subparagraph (A), as redesignated, by striking and
at the end;
in subparagraph (B), as redesignated—
by inserting , including
before for rural areas
; and
by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
by inserting after subparagraph (B), as redesignated, the following:
providing assistance to pregnant and postpartum women to receive maternal mental health and substance use disorder treatment, including patient consultation, care coordination, and navigation for such treatment;
coordinating with maternal and child health programs of the Federal Government and State, local, and Tribal governments, including child psychiatric access programs;
conducting public outreach and awareness regarding grants under subsection (a);
creating multi-State consortia to carry out the activities required or authorized under this subsection; and
training health care providers in the primary care setting and nonclinical perinatal support workers on trauma-informed care, culturally and linguistically appropriate services, and best practices related to training to improve the provision of maternal mental health and substance use disorder care for racial and ethnic minority populations, including with respect to perceptions and biases that may affect the approach to, and provision of, care.
.
Additional provisions
Section 317L–1 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–13a) is amended—
by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (h); and
by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
Technical assistance
The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to grantees and entities listed in subsection (a) for carrying out activities pursuant to this section.
Dissemination of best practices
The Secretary, based on evaluation of the activities funded pursuant to this section, shall identify and disseminate evidence-based or evidence-informed best practices for screening, assessment, and treatment services for maternal mental health and substance use disorders, including culturally and linguistically appropriate services, for women during pregnancy and 12 months following pregnancy.
Matching requirement
The Federal share of the cost of the activities for which a grant is made to an entity under subsection (a) shall not exceed 90 percent of the total cost of such activities.
.
Authorization of appropriations
Subsection (h) of section 317L–1 (42 U.S.C. 247b–13a) of the Public Health Service Act, as redesignated, is further amended—
by striking $5,000,000
and inserting $24,000,000
; and
by striking 2018 through 2022
and inserting 2023 through 2028
.
Maternal mental health hotline
Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
Maternal mental health hotline
In general
The Secretary shall maintain, directly or by grant or contract, a national hotline to provide emotional support, information, brief intervention, and mental health and substance use disorder resources to pregnant and postpartum women at risk of, or affected by, maternal mental health and substance use disorders, and to their families or household members.
Requirements for hotline
The hotline under subsection (a) shall—
be a 24/7 real-time hotline;
provide voice and text support;
be staffed by certified peer specialists, licensed health care professionals, or licensed mental health professionals who are trained on—
maternal mental health and substance use disorder prevention, identification, and intervention; and
providing culturally and linguistically appropriate support; and
provide maternal mental health and substance use disorder assistance and referral services to meet the needs of underserved populations, individuals with disabilities, and family and household members of pregnant or postpartum women at risk of experiencing maternal mental health and substance use disorders.
Additional requirements
In maintaining the hotline under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—
consult with the Domestic Violence Hotline, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and Veterans Crisis Line to ensure that pregnant and postpartum women are connected in real-time to the appropriate specialized hotline service, when applicable;
conduct a public awareness campaign for the hotline; and
consult with Federal departments and agencies, including the Centers of Excellence of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs, to increase awareness regarding the hotline.
Annual report
The Secretary shall submit an annual report to the Congress on the hotline under subsection (a) and implementation of this section, including—
an evaluation of the effectiveness of activities conducted or supported under subsection (a);
a directory of entities or organizations to which staff maintaining the hotline funded under this section may make referrals; and
such additional information as the Secretary determines appropriate.
Authorization of appropriations
To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028.
.