Emergency Support for Substance Use Disorders Act
This bill requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to award grants to states, other jurisdictions, and community-based entities for harm reduction activities to address drug misuse during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 706 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 706
To authorize grants to address substance use during COVID-19.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 2, 2021
Ms. Kuster (for herself and Mr. Katko) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize grants to address substance use during COVID-19.
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 ``Emergency Support for Substance Use
Disorders Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) In 2018, an estimated 164,800,000 people aged 12 or
older in the United States, or 60.2 percent of such population,
were substance users (including, tobacco, alcohol, or illicit
drugs) in the last month.
(2) In 2018, nearly 1 in 5 people aged 12 or older in the
United States, or 19.4 percent of such population, used an
illicit drug in the past year, which is a higher percentage
than in 2015 and 2016.
(3) In 2018, an estimated 10,300,000 people aged 12 or
older in the United States misused opioids in the past year,
including 9,900,000 prescription pain reliever misusers and
808,000 heroin users.
(4) In 2017, overdose deaths involving opioids in the
United States, including fentanyl, was 6 times higher than in
1999.
(5) The age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths involving
synthetic opioids in the United States other than methadone
increased by 10 percent from 2017 to 2018.
(6) In 2018, approximately 20,300,000 people aged 12 or
older in the United States had a substance use disorder related
to their use of alcohol or illicit drugs in the past year.
(7) In 2018, an estimated 21,200,000 people aged 12 or
older in the United States needed substance use treatment.
(8) According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration, COVID-19 will certainly contribute to
growth in the numbers referred to in the preceding paragraphs.
Individuals across the United States will struggle with
increases in depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief. There is
also anticipated increase in substance misuse in the United
States as lives are impacted for individuals and families.
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM ON HARMS OF DRUG MISUSE.
(a) In General.--The Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and
Substance Use (referred to in this section as the ``Assistant
Secretary''), in consultation with the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, shall award grants to States, political
subdivisions of States, Tribes, Tribal organizations, and community-
based entities to support the delivery of overdose prevention, syringe
services programs, and other harm reduction services that address the
harms of drug misuse during the COVID-19 pandemic, including by--
(1) preventing and controlling the spread of infectious
diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis, and the
consequences of such diseases for individuals with substance
use disorder;
(2) distributing opioid antagonists, such as naloxone, to
individuals at risk of overdose;
(3) connecting individuals at risk for, or with, a
substance use disorder to overdose education, counseling, and
health education; and
(4) encouraging such individuals to take steps to reduce
the negative personal and public health impacts of substance
use or misuse during the emergency period.
(b) Considerations.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Assistant Secretary shall prioritize grants to applicants that are--
(1) culturally specific organizations, Tribal behavioral
health and substance use disorder providers, or organizations
that are intentional about serving populations where COVID-19
has had the most impact; or
(2) proposing to serve areas with--
(A) a higher proportion of the population who meet
criteria for dependence on, or abuse of, illicit drugs;
(B) a higher drug overdose death rate;
(C) a greater telemedicine infrastructure need; and
(D) a greater behavioral health and substance use
disorder workforce need.
(c) Use of Grant Awards.--A recipient of a grant under this section
may use such grant funds for the following purposes:
(1) Adapt, maintain, and expand essential services provided
by harm reduction service organizations to address the risks of
COVID-19, drug overdose, and contraction of infectious disease.
(2) Maintain or hire staff.
(3) Support program operational costs, including staff,
rent, and vehicle purchase or maintenance.
(4) Program supplies.
(5) Hygiene and personal protective equipment for both
staff and program participants.
(6) Support and case management services.
(d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``emergency period'' has
the meaning given to such term in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)(B)).
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year
2021, to remain available until expended.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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