Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act of 2020

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7255 To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to health care providers to establish or expand programs dedicated to promoting mental wellness among their health care workers, including contractors, on the front lines of the SARS–CoV–2 pandemic, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 18, 2020 Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI (for himself, Mr. KATKO, and Ms. WILSON of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on En- ergy and Commerce A BILL To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to health care providers to establish or expand programs dedicated to promoting mental wellness among their health care workers, including con- tractors, on the front lines of the SARS–CoV–2 pan- demic, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coronavirus Health 4 Care Worker Wellness Act of 2020’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:03 Jul 09, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7255.IH H7255 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7255 IH SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 1 The Congress finds as follows: 2 (1) Health care workers on the front lines of 3 the SARS–CoV–2 pandemic experience extraor- 4 dinary levels of stress that may impact their imme- 5 diate and long-term wellbeing. 6 (2) Health care workers experienced high rates 7 of burnout and mental health disorders before the 8 SARS–CoV–2 pandemic. 9 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 10 It is the sense of the Congress that— 11 (1) health care workers on the front lines of the 12 SARS–CoV–2 pandemic deserve access to resources 13 that promote mental wellness during the pandemic 14 and in its aftermath; and 15 (2) the Federal Government has an interest in 16 improving the overall mental health and professional 17 satisfaction of the Nation’s health care workforce. 18 SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO PRO- 19 MOTE MENTAL WELLNESS AMONG THEIR 20 WORKERS. 21 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 22 Human Services (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Sec- 23 retary’’), acting through the Director of the Agency for 24 Healthcare Research and Quality, in collaboration with 25 one or more national medical professional organizations, 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:03 Jul 09, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7255.IH H7255 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7255 IH shall award grants to health care providers to establish 1 or expand programs dedicated to promoting mental 2 wellness among their health care workers, including con- 3 tractors, on the front lines of the SARS–CoV–2 pandemic. 4 (b) PROCESS.— 5 (1) APPLICATION AVAILABILITY.—Not later 6 than 30 days after the date of enactment of this 7 Act, the Secretary shall make available the applica- 8 tion form and announce the process for applying for 9 a grant under this section. 10 (2) APPLICATION SUBMISSION.—To seek a 11 grant under this section, an applicant shall submit 12 an application to the Secretary at such time, in such 13 manner, and containing such information and assur- 14 ances as the Secretary may require. 15 (3) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Not later than 16 30 days after approving an application for a grant 17 under this section, the Secretary shall make the 18 grant funds available to the grantee. 19 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 20 out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 21 such sums as may be necessary for the period of fiscal 22 years 2021 and 2022. 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:03 Jul 09, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7255.IH H7255 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7255 IH SEC. 5. COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON HEALTH CARE WORK- 1 ER MENTAL HEALTH AND BURNOUT. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 3 Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Qual- 4 ity, in collaboration with one or more national medical pro- 5 fessional organizations, shall commission a comprehensive 6 study on health care worker mental health and burnout. 7 (b) FOCUS AREAS.—The study under subsection (a) 8 shall focus on identifying— 9 (1) the factors that contribute to poor mental 10 health and burnout among health care workers; 11 (2) the barriers to health care workers seeking 12 and accessing mental health treatment; 13 (3) the implications of poor mental health and 14 burnout among health care workers for the health 15 care system and patient outcomes; 16 (4) the best ways to prevent and address the 17 problems described in paragraphs (1) through (3); 18 (5) the impact of the SARS–CoV–2 pandemic 19 on the mental health of health care workers and re- 20 lated preparedness strategies for future health emer- 21 gencies; and 22 (6) the efficacy of programs funded pursuant to 23 section 4. 24 (c) COMPLETION; REPORT.—The Secretary shall— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:03 Jul 09, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7255.IH H7255 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 7255 IH (1) ensure that the study commissioned under 1 subsection (a) is completed not later than the day 2 that is 1 year after the date of on which the Sec- 3 retary makes the final expenditure of funds for such 4 study; and 5 (2) submit a report to the Congress not later 6 than such day on the findings and conclusions of 7 such study, including recommendations for address- 8 ing health care worker mental health and burnout. 9 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 10 out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 11 such sums as may be necessary for the period of fiscal 12 years 2021 through 2025. 13 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:03 Jul 09, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7255.IH H7255 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS