1. (a) In general The President is authorized to provide professional counseling services, including financial assistance to State or local agencies or private mental health organizations to provide such services or training of disaster workers, to victims of major disasters in order to relieve mental health problems caused or aggravated by such major disaster or its aftermath.
2. (b) Training Each State, local agency, or private mental health organization providing professional counseling services described in subsection (a) shall ensure that, any individual providing professional counseling services to victims of a major disaster as authorized under subsection (a), including individuals working for nonprofit partners and recovery organizations, is appropriately trained to address impacts from major disasters in communities, and to individuals, with socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

(Pub. L. 93–288, title IV, § 416, formerly § 413, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 157; renumbered § 416 and amended Pub. L. 100–707, title I, § 106(i), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4705; Pub. L. 117–251, § 7(a), Dec. 20, 2022, 136 Stat. 2357.)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 416 of Pub. L. 93–288 was renumbered section 419 by Pub. L. 100–707 and is classified to section 5186 of this title.

Amendments

2022—Pub. L. 117–251 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b).

1988—Pub. L. 100–707 struck out “(through the National Institute of Mental Health)” after “authorized”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2022 Amendment

Pub. L. 117–251, § 7(b), Dec. 20, 2022, 136 Stat. 2357, provided that:

“The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall apply with respect to amounts appropriated on or after the date of enactment of this Act [

Dec. 20, 2022].”