42 U.S. Code § 280h–6 - Infant and early childhood mental health promotion, intervention, and treatment

(a) Grants

The Secretary shall—

(1) award grants to eligible entities to develop, maintain, or enhance infant and early childhood mental health promotion, intervention, and treatment programs, including—

(A) programs for infants and children at significant risk of developing, showing early signs of, or having been diagnosed with mental illness, including a serious emotional disturbance; and

(B) multigenerational therapy and other services that support the caregiving relationship; and

(2) ensure that programs funded through grants under this section are evidence-informed or evidence-based models, practices, and methods that are, as appropriate, culturally and linguistically appropriate, and can be replicated in other appropriate settings.

(b) Eligible children and entities

In this section:

(1) Eligible child

The term “eligible child” means a child from birth to not more than 12 years of age who—

(A) is at risk for, shows early signs of, or has been diagnosed with a mental illness, including a serious emotional disturbance; and

(B) may benefit from infant and early childhood intervention or treatment programs or specialized preschool or elementary school programs that are evidence-based or that have been scientifically demonstrated to show promise but would benefit from further applied development.

(2) Eligible entity

The term “eligible entity” means a human services agency or nonprofit institution that—

(A) employs licensed mental health professionals who have specialized training and experience in infant and early childhood mental health assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, or is accredited or approved by the appropriate State agency, as applicable, to provide for children from infancy to 12 years of age mental health promotion, intervention, or treatment services; and

(B) provides services or programs described in subsection (a) that are evidence-based or that have been scientifically demonstrated to show promise but would benefit from further applied development.

(c) Application

An eligible entity seeking a grant under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(d) Use of funds for early intervention and treatment programs

An eligible entity may use amounts awarded under a grant under subsection (a)(1) to carry out the following:

(1) Provide age-appropriate mental health promotion and early intervention services or mental illness treatment services, which may include specialized programs, for eligible children at significant risk of developing, showing early signs of, or having been diagnosed with a mental illness, including a serious emotional disturbance. Such services may include social and behavioral services as well as multigenerational therapy and other services that support the caregiving relationship.

(2) Provide training for health care professionals with expertise in infant and early childhood mental health care with respect to appropriate and relevant integration with other disciplines such as primary care clinicians, early intervention specialists, child welfare staff, home visitors, early care and education providers, and others who work with young children and families.

(3) Provide mental health consultation to personnel of early care and education programs (including licensed or regulated center-based and home-based child care, home visiting, preschool special education, and early intervention programs) who work with children and families.

(4) Provide training for mental health clinicians in infant and early childhood in promising and evidence-based practices and models for infant and early childhood mental health treatment and early intervention, including with regard to practices for identifying and treating mental illness and behavioral disorders of infants and children resulting from exposure or repeated exposure to adverse childhood experiences or childhood trauma.

(5) Provide age-appropriate assessment, diagnostic, and intervention services for eligible children, including early mental health promotion, intervention, and treatment services.

(e) Matching funds

The Secretary may not award a grant under this section to an eligible entity unless the eligible entity agrees, with respect to the costs to be incurred by the eligible entity in carrying out the activities described in subsection (d), to make available non-Federal contributions (in cash or in kind) toward such costs in an amount that is not less than 10 percent of the total amount of Federal funds provided in the grant.

(f) Technical assistance

The Secretary may, directly or by awarding grants or contracts to public and private nonprofit entities, provide training and technical assistance to eligible entities to carry out activities described in subsection (d).

(g) Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399Z–2, as added Pub. L. 114–255, div. B, title X, § 10006, Dec. 13, 2016, 130 Stat. 1267; amended Pub. L. 117–328, div. FF, title I, § 1402, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5699.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1402(2), added subsec. (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (g).

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1402(1), (3), redesignated subsec. (f) as (g) and substituted “$50,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2023 through 2027” for “$20,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through 2022”.