What This Bill Does
This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a grant program called the Mental Health Licensure Portability Program. The program awards grants to eligible entities to encourage counselors to work in states that have agreements allowing mental health professionals to work across state lines.
Who It Affects
Counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and pediatric mental health professionals who want to work in multiple states. Professional licensing boards and interstate compact commissions (joint government agencies created by states). States that have entered into interstate compacts for mental health professionals.
Key Provisions
• The Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration Administrator, must establish the grant program no later than 90 days after the bill becomes law (Sec. 2(a))
• Grants fund projects that encourage counselors to practice in states with interstate compacts and help develop, operate, or maintain the commissions that manage these compacts (Sec. 2(a))
• An "interstate compact" is an agreement between two or more states where they recognize licenses issued by each other for counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and pediatric mental health professionals (Sec. 2(b)(5))
• "Eligible entities" include professional licensing boards or interstate compact commissions for counseling, psychiatry, psychology, social work, or pediatric mental health in states participating in occupational licensure interstate compacts (Sec. 2(b)(4))
What Changes
A new federal grant program launches to support states that allow mental health professionals to work across state lines without getting separate licenses in each state.
Important Definitions
A "counselor" is a licensed professional trained to guide individuals, families, and groups with personal, social, or psychological problems. An "interstate compact" is a licensing agreement between two or more states based on mutual recognition of professional qualifications. A "commission" is a joint government agency made up of states that implements the interstate compact agreement.
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 1075
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through
the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration,
to establish a grant program to be known as the Mental Health Licensure
Portability Program to award grants to eligible entities, and for other
purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 30, 2023
Mr. KING introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
acting through the Administrator of the Health Re-
sources and Services Administration, to establish a grant
program to be known as the Mental Health Licensure
Portability Program to award grants to eligible entities,
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.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Compacts, Access, and
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Responsible Expansion for Mental Health Professionals
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Act’’ or the ‘‘CARE for Mental Health Professionals Act’’.
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•S 1075 IS
SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH LICENSURE PORTABILITY PRO-
1
GRAM.
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(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after
3
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
4
Health and Human Services, acting through the Adminis-
5
trator, shall establish a grant program to be known as the
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Mental Health Licensure Portability Program to award
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grants to eligible entities for projects to—
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(1) incentivize counselors to practice in States
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that have entered into interstate compacts for the
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purpose of expanding the workforce of credentialed
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mental health professionals; and
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(2) develop, operate, or maintain interstate
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compact commissions authorized to effectuate the
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provisions of interstate compacts entered into by
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such States.
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(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act:
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(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
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trator’’ means the Administrator of the Health Re-
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sources and Services Administration.
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(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘commission’’
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means a joint interstate governmental agency com-
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prised of States that have entered into an interstate
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compact for the purpose of implementing, facili-
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tating, and effectuating provisions of such interstate
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compact.
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•S 1075 IS
(3) COUNSELOR.—The term ‘‘counselor’’ means
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a licensed professional that is trained to give guid-
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ance to individuals, families, and groups with respect
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to personal, social, or psychological problems.
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(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
5
ty’’ means a professional, psychiatric, psychological,
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social work, or pediatric counseling interstate com-
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pact commission or licensure board of a State that
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is participating in an occupational licensure inter-
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state compact.
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(5) INTERSTATE COMPACT.—The term ‘‘com-
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pact’’ means an occupational licensure agreement
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enacted by 2 or more States that is based on the
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mutual recognition of professional qualifications
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through criteria stipulated in such agreement, in
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which a State agrees to recognize the issuance of a
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license by another State to a counselor, psychiatrist,
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psychologist, or pediatric mental health professional.
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(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean-
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ing given the term in section 6501 of title 31,
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United States Code.
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(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
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authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act
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$4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2027.
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Æ
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