§ 290aa–17 — Assisted Outpatient Treatment Grant Program For Individuals With Serious Mental Illness

(a) The Secretary shall establish a program to award not more than 50 grants each year to eligible entities for assisted outpatient treatment programs for individuals with serious mental illness. (b) The Secretary shall carry out this section in consultation with the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, the Attorney General of the United States, the Administrator of the Administration for Community Living, and the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (c) The Secretary— (1) may only award grants under this section to applicants that have not previously implemented an assisted outpatient treatment program; and (2) shall evaluate applicants based on their potential to reduce hospitalization, homelessness, incarceration, and interaction with the criminal justice system while improving the health and social outcomes of the patient. (d) An assisted outpatient treatment program funded with a grant awarded under this section shall include— (1) evaluating the medical and social needs of the patients who are participating in the program; (2) preparing and executing treatment plans for such patients that— (A) include criteria for completion of court-ordered treatment; and (B) provide for monitoring of the patient’s compliance with the treatment plan, including compliance with medication and other treatment regimens; (3) providing for such patients case management services that support the treatment plan; (4) ensuring appropriate referrals to medical and social service providers; (5) evaluating the process for implementing the program to ensure consistency with the patient’s needs and State law; and (6) measuring treatment outcomes, including health and social outcomes such as rates of incarceration, health care utilization, and homelessness. (e) Not later than the end of fiscal year 2023, and biennially thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives on the grant program under this section. Each such report shall include an evaluation of the following: (1) Cost savings and public health outcomes such as mortality, suicide, substance abuse, hospitalization, and use of services. (2) Rates of incarceration by patients. (3) Rates of homelessness among patients. (4) Patient and family satisfaction with program participation. (5) Demographic information regarding participation of those served by the grant compared to demographic information in the population of the grant recipient. (f) In this section: (1) The term “assisted outpatient treatment” means medically prescribed mental health treatment that a patient receives while living in a community under the terms of a law authorizing a State or local court to order such treatment. (2) The term “eligible entity” means a county, city, mental health system, mental health court, or any other entity with authority under the law of the State in which the grantee is located to implement, monitor, and oversee assisted outpatient treatment programs. (3) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (1) A grant under this section shall be in an amount that is not more than $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027. Subject to the preceding sentence, the Secretary shall determine the amount of each grant based on the population of the area, including estimated patients, to be served under the grant. (2) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $22,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.