The House Energy & Commerce Committee has unanimously approved an amended version of H.R. 2646, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, which is intended to reform the nation's mental health care system. Among other things, the bill would: provide grants to increase access to treatment for children with mental disorders and individuals with serious mental illness; promote evidence-based models in mental health care; clarify Medicaid coverage provisions related to mental health services; promote compliance with mental health and substance use disorder coverage parity requirements; direct the Secretary of HHS to clarify the circumstances under which disclosure of protected health information is permitted for patients with mental illness; and make various administrative reforms, including establishment of an Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use to improve oversight of federal mental health and substance use programs. The bill now awaits consideration by the full House.
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