House panel unanimously advances 6 public health bills: 4 things to know

The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday advanced six public health-related bills, covering topics from mental health training and first aid to the physician shortage to treating patients with drug addictions, according to the Morning Consult.

The bills, which were approved unanimously on voice votes, now await action on the House floor. Similar measures are working their way through the Senate. 

Here are four more things to know about the recently advanced House bills.

1. One of the bills would amend the Controlled Substances Act to allow emergency responders to administer controlled substances to patients when given instructions to do so by their agency's medical director, according to the report.

2. Another bill would require the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrator to award mental health awareness training grants to individuals who work with patients with mental health conditions, such as first responders, police and teachers. The committee also approved a bill that would authorize grants for mental health awareness training to nursing students within the nursing education curriculum.

3. Under one of the final two bills, HHS would increase the data it collects to identify where in the U.S. maternal healthcare providers are lacking and then place more providers through the National Health Service Corps to fill the gap, according to the report.

4. The final bill would establish a National Clinical Care Commission charged with recommending solutions to improve the coordination of care and utilization of federal programs to support the care regimens for people with metabolic and autoimmune disorders, according to the report. 

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