Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “CONtinuity in Necessary Evaluative Crisis Treatment Act of 2024” or the “CONNECT Act of 2024”.
CONtinuity in Necessary Evaluative Crisis Treatment Act of 2024
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, to award grants to eligible crisis centers to provide follow-up services to individuals receiving suicide prevention and crisis intervention services, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Grants for follow-up services to individuals receiving suicide prevention and crisis intervention services
Title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 520E–4 (42 U.S.C. 290bb–36d) the following:
“520E–5. Follow-up services to individuals receiving suicide prevention and crisis intervention services
“(a) In general—The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall award grants to eligible crisis centers to provide follow-up services to individuals receiving suicide prevention and crisis intervention services.
“(b) Eligibility—To be eligible to seek a grant under this section, a crisis center shall be a member of the network of crisis centers coordinated under section 520E–3(b)(1).
“(c) Selection—The Secretary shall select recipients of grants under this section based on the relative needs, including capacity and service gaps, of the eligible crisis centers applying for such grants.
“(d) Technical assistance—The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to recipients of grants under this section regarding best practices for the implementation of services through such grants.
“(e) Use of funds
“(1) In general—A crisis center receiving a grant under this section shall use the grant to provide follow-up services to individuals receiving suicide prevention and crisis intervention services such as—
“(A) individuals who were callers at risk of, or on behalf of someone at risk of, suicide or a mental health or suicidal crisis; and
“(B) to the extent possible, individuals who—
“(i) received a response from a mobile crisis team; or
“(ii) made a visit to an urgent behavioral health clinic, a crisis receiving and stabilization facility, an emergency department, an inpatient unit, or another short-term crisis care site.
“(2) Follow-up services—Follow-up services referred to in paragraph (1) may include—
“(A) check-ins to assess well-being and level of risk;
“(B) outreach to ensure engagement in services and supports, in coordination with mobile crisis service providers if involved;
“(C) collaboration with family, caregivers, and natural social supports; and
“(D) referrals based on the needed level of care.
“(f) Authorization of appropriations—To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, to remain available until expended.”