H.R. 6397: Ensuring Mental Health Service Access Act of 2006

109th Congress · introduced 2006-12-06 · Health · Latest: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2006-12-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Jefferson, William J. [D-LA-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Ensuring Mental Health Service Access Act of 2006

Plain summary

Ensuring Mental Health Services Access Act of 2006 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to support programs to promote mental health among all children and their families and to provide early intervention services to ameliorate identified mental health problems in children and adolescents. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director, to make grants to provide mental health services in response to public health emergencies. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to: (1) establish the National Mental Health Crisis Response Technical Assistance Center; and (2) award grants to provide for the training of mental health professionals with respect to the treatment of individuals who are victims of disasters. Allows the Secretary to award grants to increase the coordination and development of disaster preparedness efforts relating to the needs of children. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for marriage and family therapist services. Amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to provide for the training of officers and employees of the state juvenile justice system on access to mental health and substance abuse treatment programs and services in the state for juveniles who come into contact with the state juvenile justice system. Requires the Attorney General to make grants for the establishment and implementation of a program for juveniles who are confined to juvenile correctional facilities and who have mental health or substance abuse problems. Establishes the Federal Coordinating Council on Criminalization of Juveniles to study the criminal and juvenile justice and mental health and substance abuse activities of the federal government and report on legislation to improve the treatment of mentally ill juveniles confined in a juvenile correctional facility.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Ensuring Mental Health Service Access Act of 2006

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Jefferson, William J. [D-LA-2] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109hr6397.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/hr>

Record fed-us-cong109-hr6397 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109