119-hr2741

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2741 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2741

 To address the behavioral health workforce shortages through support 
 for peer support specialists, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 8, 2025

 Ms. Salinas (for herself, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Mrs. Watson Coleman, 
Ms. Bonamici, and Mr. Doggett) introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
 the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
 of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
 concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To address the behavioral health workforce shortages through support 
 for peer support specialists, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Providing Empathetic and Effective 
Recovery Support Act'' or the ``PEER Support Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST.

    (a) In General.--In this Act, the term ``peer support specialist'' 
means an individual--

    (1)
        (A) who has lived experience of recovery from a mental 
 health condition or substance use disorder and who specializes 
 in supporting individuals with mental health conditions or 
 substance use disorders; or
        (B) who has lived experience as a parent or caregiver of an 
 individual with a mental health condition or substance use 
 disorder and who specializes in supporting families navigating 
 mental health or substance use service systems; and

    (2) who is certified as qualified to furnish peer support 
 services, as described in subsection

    (b) , under a process that 
 is determined by the State in which such individual furnishes 
 such services or determined appropriate by the Secretary of 
 Health and Human Services.

    (b) Peer Support Services.--The services described in this 
subsection shall be consistent with the National Practice Guidelines 
for Peer Supporters issued by the National Association of Peer 
Supporters (or a successor publication) and inclusive of the Core 
Competencies for Peer Workers in Behavioral Health Services of the 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

SEC. 3. RECOGNIZING THE PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST PROFESSION.

 Not later than January 1, 2026, the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget shall revise the Standard Occupational 
Classification system to include an occupational category for peer 
support specialists.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF RECOVERY.

 Part A of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa 
et seq.) is amended by inserting after 

section 501C (42 U.S.C. 290aa-
0b) the following:

``

SEC. 501D. OFFICE OF RECOVERY.

 ``

    (a) In General.--There is established, in the Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health Services Administration, an Office of Recovery (referred 
to in this section as the `Office').
 ``

    (b) Director.--The Office shall be headed by a Director who has 
demonstrated experience in, and lived experience with, mental health or 
substance use disorder recovery.
 ``
            (c) Responsibilities.--Through the Office of Recovery, the 
responsibilities of the Director shall include--
 ``

    (1) providing leadership in the identification of new and 
 emerging issues related to recovery support services;
 ``

    (2) supporting technical assistance, data analysis, and 
 evaluation functions in order to assist States, localities, 
 territories, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations in 
 developing recovery support services and identifying best 
 practices with the objective of expanding the capacity of, and 
 access to, recovery support services;
 ``

    (3) providing support for the training, education, 
 integration, and professionalization of the peer support 
 specialist workforce;
 ``

    (4) disseminating best practice recommendations with 
 respect to peer support specialist training, certification, 
 supervision, and practice to States and other entities that 
 employ peer support specialists;
 ``

    (5) supporting peer support specialists with ongoing 
 professional development and retention activities; and
 ``

    (6) developing recommendations on creating career 
 pathways for peer support specialists.
 ``
            (d) Functions.--Beginning on the date of enactment of this 
section, the functions of the Office shall include the responsibilities 
described in subsection
            (c) and the functions of the Office of Recovery 
of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on the 
day before such date of enactment, including all of its personnel, 
assets, authorities, obligations, and liabilities, except as otherwise 
specified in this section.
 ``

    (e) Definition of Peer Support Specialist.--In this section, the 
term `peer support specialist' has the meaning given such term in 

section 2 of the Providing Empathetic and Effective Recovery Support 
Act''.

SEC. 5. RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK 
 PROCESS FOR PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary''), in coordination 
with the Attorney General, shall develop a report on research and 
recommendations with respect to criminal background check processes for 
individuals becoming peer support specialists.

    (b) Contents.--The report under subsection

    (a) shall include--

    (1) a summary of evidence-informed literature on the 
 effectiveness of peer support specialists in improving the 
 mental health and the substance use disorder recovery of other 
 individuals;

    (2) a survey of each State's laws (including regulations) 
 that contain criminal background check requirements for serving 
 as a peer support specialist, including--
        (A) an analysis of criminal offenses that are 
 included in State laws (including regulations) that 
 prevent individuals from earning a peer support 
 specialist certification or from practicing as a peer 
 support specialist;
        (B) an analysis of requirements (if any) under the 
 State plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act 
 (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) or under a waiver of such plan 
 relating to background checks for providers 
 participating under such plan or waiver and the extent 
 to which any such requirements differ from similar 
 requirements imposed under State law (including 
 regulations);
            (C) an analysis of requirements (if any) of any 
 State receiving a grant under part B of title XIX of 
 the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x et seq.) 
 relating to background checks for providers 
 participating in a program under, or otherwise 
 providing services supported by, such grant;
            (D) a review of State laws (including regulations) 
 that provide exemptions from prohibitions regarding 
 certification or practice of peer support specialists; 
 and
        (E) an indication of each State that has gone 
 through the process of amending or otherwise changing 
 criminal background check laws (including regulations) 
 for the certification and practice of peer support 
 specialists; and

    (3) recommendations to States on criminal background check 
 processes that would reduce barriers to becoming certified as 
 peer support specialists.
            (c) Availability.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--

    (1) post the report required under subsection

    (a) on the 
 publicly accessible internet website of the Substance Abuse and 
 Mental Health Services Administration; and

    (2) distribute such report to--
        (A) State agencies responsible for certification of 
 peer support specialists;
        (B) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services;
            (C) State agencies responsible for carrying out a 
 State plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act 
 or under a waiver of such plan; and
            (D) State agencies responsible for carrying out a 
 grant under part B of title XIX of the Public Health 
 Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x et seq.).
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