President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health

Executive Order 13263 of April 29, 2002

President's New Freedom Commission on Mental
Health

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, and to improve America's mental health service
delivery system for individuals with serious mental
illness and children with serious emotional
disturbances, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Establishment. There is hereby established
the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health
(Commission).

Sec. 2. Membership. (a) The Commission's membership
shall be composed of:

(i) Not more than fifteen members appointed by the President, including
providers, payers, administrators, and consumers of mental health services
and family members of consumers; and

(ii) Not more than seven ex officio members, four of whom shall be
designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the remaining
three of whom shall be designated--one each--by the Secretaries of the
Departments of Labor, Education, and Veterans Affairs.

    (b) The President shall designate a Chair from
among the fifteen members of the Commission appointed
by the President.

Sec. 3. Mission. The mission of the Commission shall be
to conduct a comprehensive study of the United States
mental health service delivery system, including public
and private sector providers, and to advise the
President on methods of improving the system. The
Commission's goal shall be to recommend improvements to
enable adults with serious mental illness and children
with serious emotional disturbances to live, work,
learn, and participate fully in their communities. In
carrying out its mission, the Commission shall, at a
minimum:

    (a) Review the current quality and effectiveness of
public and private providers and Federal, State, and
local government involvement in the delivery of
services to individuals with serious mental illnesses
and children with serious emotional disturbances, and
identify unmet needs and barriers to services.
    (b) Identify innovative mental health treatments,
services, and technologies that are demonstrably
effective and can be widely replicated in different
settings.
    (c) Formulate policy options that could be
implemented by public and private providers, and
Federal, State, and local governments to integrate the
use of effective treatments and services, improve
coordination among service providers, and improve
community integration for adults with serious mental
illnesses and children with serious emotional
disturbances.

Sec. 4. Principles. In conducting its mission, the
Commission shall adhere to the following principles:

    (a) The Commission shall focus on the desired
outcomes of mental health care, which are to attain
each individual's maximum level of employment, self-
care, interpersonal relationships, and community
participation;
    (b) The Commission shall focus on community-level
models of care that efficiently coordinate the multiple
health and human service providers and public and
private payers involved in mental health treatment and
delivery of services;

    (c) The Commission shall focus on those policies
that maximize the utility of existing resources by
increasing cost effectiveness and reducing unnecessary
and burdensome regulatory barriers;
    (d) The Commission shall consider how mental health
research findings can be used most effectively to
influence the delivery of services; and
    (e) The Commission shall follow the principles of
Federalism, and ensure that its recommendations promote
innovation, flexibility, and accountability at all
levels of government and respect the constitutional
role of the States and Indian tribes.

Sec. 5. Administration. (a) The Department of Health
and Human Services, to the extent permitted by law,
shall provide funding and administrative support for
the Commission.

    (b) To the extent funds are available and as
authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in
Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707), members of the
Commission appointed from among private citizens of the
United States may be allowed travel expenses while
engaged in the work of the Commission, including per
diem in lieu of subsistence. All members of the
Commission who are officers or employees of the United
States shall serve without compensation in addition to
that received for their services as officers or
employees of the United States.
    (c) The Commission shall have a staff headed by an
Executive Director, who shall be selected by the
President. To the extent permitted by law, office
space, analytical support, and additional staff support
for the Commission shall be provided by executive
branch departments and agencies.
    (d) Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act,
as amended, may apply to the Commission, any functions
of the President under that Act, except for those in
section 6 of that Act, shall be performed by the
Department of Health and Human Services, in accordance
with the guidelines that have been issued by the
Administrator of General Services.

Sec. 6. Reports. The Commission shall submit reports to
the President as follows:

    (a) Interim Report. Within 6 months from the date
of this order, an interim report shall describe the
extent of unmet needs and barriers to care within the
mental health system and provide examples of community-
based care models with success in coordination of
services and providing desired outcomes.
    (b) Final Report. The final report will set forth
the Commission's recommendations, in accordance with
its mission as stated in section 3 of this order. The
submission date shall be determined by the Chair in
consultation with the President.

Sec. 7. Termination. The Commission shall terminate 1
year from the date of this order, unless extended by
the President prior to that date.

    (Presidential Sig.)B

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    April 29, 2002.