---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 290aa–17"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "290aa–17"
heading: "Assisted outpatient treatment grant program for individuals with serious mental illness"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/290aa-17"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter III–A — Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration"
  - "Part A — Organization and General Authorities"
---

# §290aa–17. Assisted outpatient treatment grant program for individuals with serious mental illness

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall establish a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) to award not more than 50 grants each year to eligible entities for assisted outpatient [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for individuals with serious mental illness.
- (b) **Consultation—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall carry out this section in consultation with the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the National Institute of Mental Health, the Attorney General of the United States, the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Administration for Community Living, and the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) Administration.
- (c) **Selecting among applicants—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c)—
  - (1) may only award grants under this section to applicants that have not previously implemented an assisted outpatient [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4); 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) **Use of grant—** An assisted outpatient [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) 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](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4);
  - (2) preparing and executing [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) plans for such patients that—
    - (A) include criteria for completion of court-ordered [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11); and
    - (B) provide for monitoring of the patient’s compliance with the [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) plan, including compliance with medication and other [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) regimens;
  - (3) providing for such patients case management [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) that support the [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) plan;
  - (4) ensuring appropriate referrals to medical and social [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8);
  - (5) evaluating the process for implementing the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) to ensure consistency with the patient’s needs and [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) law; and
  - (6) measuring [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) outcomes, including health and social outcomes such as rates of incarceration, health care utilization, and homelessness.
- (e) **Report—** Not later than the end of fiscal year 2023, and biennially thereafter, the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) 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](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) 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](/usc/42/201.md?p=a).
  - (2) Rates of incarceration by patients.
  - (3) Rates of homelessness among patients.
  - (4) Patient and family satisfaction with [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) participation.
  - (5) Demographic information regarding participation of those served by the grant compared to demographic information in the population of the grant recipient.
- (f) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) The term “assisted outpatient [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11)” means medically prescribed mental health [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) that a patient receives while living in a community under the terms of a law authorizing a [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) or local court to order such [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11).
  - (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](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) in which the grantee is located to implement, monitor, and oversee assisted outpatient [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).
  - (3) The term “[Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c)” means the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) of Health and Human [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a).
- (g) **Funding—**
  - (1) **Amount of grants—** 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](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall determine the amount of each grant based on the population of the area, including estimated patients, to be served under the grant.
  - (2) **Authorization of appropriations—** There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $22,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 113–93, title II, § 224, Apr. 1, 2014, 128 Stat. 1083; Pub. L. 114–255, div. B, title IX, § 9014, Dec. 13, 2016, 130 Stat. 1245; Pub. L. 117–328, div. FF, title I, § 1123(b)(1), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5653.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified as a note under section 290aa of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Section was enacted as part of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, and not as part of the Public Health Service Act which comprises this chapter.

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1123(b)(1)(A), struck out “4-year pilot” before “program”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1123(b)(1)(B), in introductory provisions, substituted “fiscal year 2023, and biennially thereafter” for “each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022” and “Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives” for “appropriate congressional committees”.

Subsec. (e)(5). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1123(b)(1)(C), added par. (5).

Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1123(b)(1)(D)(i), substituted “2023 through 2027” for “2015 through 2022”.

Subsec. (g)(2). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1123(b)(1)(D)(ii), amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2017, $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2018, $19,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 and 2020, and $18,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 and 2022.”

2016—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 114–255, § 9014(1), substituted “2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022,” for “and 2018,” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 114–255, § 9014(2)(A), substituted “2022” for “2018”.

Subsec. (g)(2). Pub. L. 114–255, § 9014(2)(B), substituted “are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2017, $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2018, $19,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 and 2020, and $18,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 and 2022” for “is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2018”.