Improving the Federal Response to Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorder Act
This bill establishes the Interagency Task Force to Improve the Federal Response to Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorders to recommend ways to better coordinate the responses of federal agencies to substance use disorders and the opioid crisis. Specifically, the task force must: (1) identify options to coordinate existing grants and other resources relating to the effect of substance use disorders on youth and families; (2) identify opportunities for state and local partnerships to improve prevention and treatment services; and (3) publish an action plan, including a timeline for implementation, within nine months after enactment of this bill.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5891 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5891
To establish an interagency task force to improve the Federal response
to families impacted by substance abuse disorders.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 21, 2018
Mr. Grothman (for himself and Mr. Lamb) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish an interagency task force to improve the Federal response
to families impacted by substance abuse disorders.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Improving the Federal Response to
Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorder Act''.
SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE TO IMPROVE THE FEDERAL RESPONSE TO
FAMILIES IMPACTED BY SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
(a) Establishment.--There is established a task force, to be known
as the ``Interagency Task Force to Improve the Federal Response to
Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorders'' (in this section
referred to as ``Task Force'').
(b) Responsibilities.--The Task Force--
(1) shall identify, evaluate, and recommend ways in which
Federal agencies can better coordinate responses to substance
use disorders and the opioid crisis; and
(2) shall carry out the additional duties described in
subsection (d).
(c) Membership.--
(1) Number and appointment.--The Task Force shall be
composed of 12 Federal officials having responsibility for, or
administering programs related to, the duties of the Task
Force. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, the
Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the
Secretary of Labor shall each appoint two members to the Task
Force from among the Federal officials employed by the
Department of which they are the head. Additional Federal
agency officials appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human
Services shall fill the remaining positions of the Task Force.
(2) Chairperson.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services shall designate a Federal official employed by the
Department of Health and Human Services to serve as the
chairperson of the Task Force.
(3) Deadline for appointment.--Each member shall be
appointed to the Task Force not later than 60 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
(4) Additional agency input.--The Task Force may seek input
from other Federal agencies and offices with experience,
expertise, or information relevant in responding to the opioid
crisis.
(5) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Task Force shall be filled
in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
(6) Prohibition of compensation.--Members of the Task Force
may not receive pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their
service on the Task Force.
(d) Duties.--The Task Force shall carry out the following duties:
(1) Solicit input from stakeholders, including frontline
service providers, medical professionals, educators, mental
health professionals, researchers, experts in infant, child,
and youth trauma, child welfare professionals, and the public,
in order to inform the activities of the Task Force.
(2) Develop a strategy on how the Task Force and
participating Federal agencies will collaborate, prioritize,
and implement a coordinated Federal approach with regard to
responding to substance use disorders, including opioid misuse,
that shall include--
(A) identifying options for the coordination of
existing grants that support infants, children, and
youth, and their families as appropriate, who have
experienced, or are at risk of experiencing, exposure
to substance abuse disorders, including opioid misuse;
and
(B) other ways to improve coordination, planning,
and communication within and across Federal agencies,
offices, and programs, to better serve children and
families impacted by substance use disorders, including
opioid misuse.
(3) Based off the strategy developed under paragraph (2),
evaluate and recommend opportunities for local- and State-level
partnerships, professional development, or best practices
that--
(A) are designed to quickly identify and refer
children and families, as appropriate, who have
experienced or are at risk of experiencing exposure to
substance abuse;
(B) utilize and develop partnerships with early
childhood education programs, local social services
organizations, and health care services aimed at
preventing or mitigating the effects of exposure to
substance use disorders, including opioid misuse;
(C) offer community-based prevention activities,
including educating families and children on the
effects of exposure to substance use disorders,
including opioid misuse, and how to build resilience
and coping skills to mitigate those effects;
(D) in accordance with Federal privacy protections,
utilize non-personally identifiable data from
screenings, referrals, or the provision of services and
supports to evaluate and improve processes addressing
exposure to substance use disorders, including opioid
misuse; and
(E) are designed to prevent separation and support
reunification of families if in the best interest of
the child.
(4) In fulfilling the requirements of paragraphs (2) and
(3), consider evidence-based, evidence-informed, and promising
best practices related to identifying, referring, and
supporting children and families at risk of experiencing
exposure to substance abuse or experiencing substance use
disorder, including opioid misuse, including--
(A) prevention strategies for those at risk of
experiencing or being exposed to substance abuse,
including misuse of opioids;
(B) whole-family and multi-generational approaches;
(C) community-based initiatives;
(D) referral to, and implementation of, trauma-
informed practices and supports; and
(E) multi-generational practices that assist
parents, foster parents, and kinship and other
caregivers
(e) FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2)
shall not apply to the Task Force.
(f) Action Plan; Reports.--The Task Force--
(1) shall prepare a detailed action plan to be implemented
by participating Federal agencies to create a collaborative,
coordinated response to the opioid crisis, which shall
include--
(A) relevant information identified and collected
under subsection (d);
(B) a proposed timeline for implementing
recommendations and efforts identified under subsection
(d); and
(C) a description of how other Federal agencies and
offices with experience, expertise, or information
relevant in responding to the opioid crisis that have
provided input under subsection (c)(4) will be
participating in the coordinated approach;
(2) shall submit to the Congress a report describing the
action plan prepared under paragraph (1), including, where
applicable, identification of any recommendations included in
such plan that require additional legislative authority to
implement; and
(3) shall submit a report to the Governors describing the
opportunities for local- and State-level partnerships,
professional development, or best practices recommended under
subsection (d)(3).
(g) Dissemination.--
(1) In general.--The action plan and reports required under
subsection (f) shall be--
(A) disseminated widely, including among the
participating Federal agencies and the Governors; and
(B) be made publicly available online in an
accessible format.
(2) Deadline.--The action plan and reports required under
subsection (f) may be released on separate dates but shall be
released not later than 9 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(h) Termination.--The Task Force shall terminate 30 days after the
dissemination of the action plan and reports under subsection (g).
(i) Funding.--The administrative expenses of the Task Force shall
be paid out of existing Department of Health and Human Services funds
or appropriations.
(j) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
(1) The term ``Governor'' means the chief executive officer
of a State.
(2) The term ``participating Federal agencies'' means all
the Executive agencies (as defined in section 105 of title 5,
United States Code) whose officials have been appointed to the
Task Force.
(3) The term ``State'' means each of the several States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Mr. Grothman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5127-5129)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5891.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5136-5137)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 409 - 8 (Roll no. 264).(text: CR H5127-5128)
Roll Call #264 (House)On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 409 - 8 (Roll no. 264). (text: CR H5127-5128)
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Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.