State Guidance Related to Individuals with Serious Mental Illness and Children with Serious Emotional Disturbance
Section 208 · Sec. 208 ·
What this chapter is about
This part orders a review of how States spend block grant money. The focus is on people who have a first break with reality. A report on the review goes to Congress. Then the advice given to States must be brought up to date.
The document says “shall”Who acts: Secretary of Health and Human ServicesHow: statuteSec. 208 in the PDF
What the document says
“Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary''), acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall conduct a review of State use of funds made available under the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant program”
The section directs the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to review within one year of enactment how States use block grant funds for first episode psychosis activities. The review must consider how States use funds for evidence-based treatments, the share of State block grant funding spent on early serious mental illness and first episode psychosis, and the number of people served.
What the document actually says
“Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary''), acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall conduct a review of State use of funds made available under the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant program”
That sentence, in plain words
The Secretary must look at how States spend this money. The review is due within one year. It covers care after a first break with reality.
What this is about
A block grant is money sent to a State in one lump. The State decides much of how it is spent. This review asks what the States chose.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall”Who acts: Secretary of Health and Human ServicesHow: statuteSec. 208 in the PDF
What the document says
“Not later than 180 days after the completion of the review under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report describing--”
The section requires a report within 180 days after the review is complete, describing the findings and any recommendations for changes to the block grant program that would improve outcomes for people with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbance.
What the document actually says
“Not later than 180 days after the completion of the review under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report describing--”
That sentence, in plain words
A report is due 180 days after the review ends. It goes to four groups in Congress. It says what was found.
What this is about
The report can also suggest changes. The changes would be to the block grant program. The goal named is better outcomes for those people.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
The document says “shall”Who acts: Secretary of Health and Human ServicesHow: statuteSec. 208 in the PDF
What the document says
“Not later than 1 year after the date on which the report is submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall update the guidance provided to States under the block grant program on coordinated specialty care and other evidence-based mental health care services for individuals with serious mental illness and children with a serious emotional disturbance, based on the findings and recommendations of such report.”
The section requires the Secretary to update, within one year of the report, the guidance given to States under the block grant program on coordinated specialty care and other evidence-based mental health services, based on the findings and recommendations of that report.
What the document actually says
“Not later than 1 year after the date on which the report is submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall update the guidance provided to States under the block grant program on coordinated specialty care and other evidence-based mental health care services for individuals with serious mental illness and children with a serious emotional disturbance, based on the findings and recommendations of such report.”
That sentence, in plain words
The advice given to States must be brought up to date. That is due one year after the report. It must follow what the report found.
What this is about
Coordinated specialty care is a team approach. A doctor, a counselor and a job coach work together. It is used after a first break with reality.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.
Reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery, Public Law 119-44, sec. 208, 139 Stat. 681 (2025). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-119publ44/html/PLAW-119publ44.htm
This page
“State Guidance Related to Individuals with Serious Mental Illness and Children with Serious Emotional Disturbance,” Reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery, section 208. Read the Mandate, https://readthemandate.org/pl-119-44/section-208/ (retrieved August 26, 2026).
Cite the document when the claim is about what the document says. Cite this page when the indexing, the wording or the record of what has happened is what is being relied on.
What This Page Covers, and What It Leaves Out
The three things the section requires in order: the review of State use of block grant funds, the report to four committees of Congress, and the update to the guidance given to States.
Nothing. The section has two subsections and everything they require is recorded here.
The section refers to the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant program under subpart I of part B of title XIX of the Public Health Service Act, which is not indexed here, so nothing is recorded about how that program works.
