(a) Projects

The Secretary shall address priority mental health needs of regional and national significance (as determined under subsection (b)) through the provision of or through assistance for—

(1) knowledge development and application projects for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, and the conduct or support of evaluations of such projects;

(2) training and technical assistance programs;

(3) targeted capacity response programs; and

(4) systems change grants including statewide family network grants and client-oriented and consumer run self-help activities, which may include technical assistance centers.

The Secretary may carry out the activities described in this subsection directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements with States, political subdivisions of States, Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations (as such terms are defined in section 5304 of title 25), health facilities, or programs operated by or in accordance with a contract or grant with the Indian Health Service, or,¹ other public or private nonprofit entities.

(b) Priority mental health needs

(1) Determination of needs

Priority mental health needs of regional and national significance shall be determined by the Secretary in consultation with States and other interested groups. The Secretary shall meet with the States and interested groups on an annual basis to discuss program priorities.

(2) Special consideration

In developing program priorities described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give special consideration to promoting the integration of mental health services into primary health care systems.

(c) Requirements

(1) In general

Recipients of grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements under this section shall comply with information and application requirements determined appropriate by the Secretary.

(2) Duration of award

With respect to a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement awarded under this section, the period during which payments under such award are made to the recipient may not exceed 5 years.

(3) Matching funds

The Secretary may, for projects carried out under subsection (a), require that entities that apply for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under this section provide non-Federal matching funds, as determined appropriate by the Secretary, to ensure the institutional commitment of the entity to the projects funded under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement. Such non-Federal matching funds may be provided directly or through donations from public or private entities and may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services.

(4) Maintenance of effort

With respect to activities for which a grant, contract or cooperative agreement is awarded under this section, the Secretary may require that recipients for specific projects under subsection (a) agree to maintain expenditures of non-Federal amounts for such activities at a level that is not less than the level of such expenditures maintained by the entity for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the entity receives such a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.

(d) Evaluation

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The Secretary shall evaluate each project carried out under subsection (a)(1) and shall disseminate the findings with respect to each such evaluation to appropriate public and private entities.

(e) Information and education

(1) In general

The Secretary shall establish information and education programs to disseminate and apply the findings of the knowledge development and application, training, and technical assistance programs, and targeted capacity response programs, under this section to the general public, to health care professionals, and to interested groups. The Secretary shall make every effort to provide linkages between the findings of supported projects and State agencies responsible for carrying out mental health services.

(2) Rural and underserved areas

In disseminating information on evidence-based practices in the provision of children’s mental health services under this subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that such information is distributed to rural and medically underserved areas.

(3) Geriatric mental disorders

The Secretary shall, as appropriate, provide technical assistance to grantees regarding evidence-based practices for the prevention and treatment of geriatric mental disorders and co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders among geriatric populations, as well as disseminate information about such evidence-based practices to States and nongrantees throughout the United States.

(f) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $599,036,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.