[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5956 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5956

To amend the Public Health Service Act to better address substance use 
            and substance use disorders among young people.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 8, 2016

Ms. Clark of Massachusetts (for herself and Mr. Bucshon) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to better address substance use 
            and substance use disorders among young people.

    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 ``Youth Opioid Use Treatment Help Act 
of 2016'' or the ``YOUTH Act''.

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT SERVICES FOR 
              CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 514 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 290bb-7) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``abuse'' and inserting ``use'' each place 
        it appears;
            (2) by striking ``children and adolescents'' and inserting 
        ``children, adolescents, and young adults'' each place it 
        appears; and
            (3) in subsection (f), by striking ``for fiscal years 2002 
        and 2003'' and inserting ``for each of fiscal years 2017 
        through 2022''.
    (b) Technical Correction.--Section 514 of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-9), as added by section 3632 of the 
Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-310; 114 
Stat. 1236), is redesignated as section 514B.

SEC. 3. ACCESS TO MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT FOR ADOLESCENTS AND 
              YOUNG ADULTS DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting 
through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 
(in this section referred to as the ``Director''), shall award grants 
to eligible entities to establish demonstration programs to--
            (1) expand access to medication-assisted treatment for 
        opioid use disorders among adolescents and young adults;
            (2) identify and test solutions to overcoming barriers to 
        implementation of medication-assisted treatment for adolescents 
        and young adults; or
            (3) create and distribute for pediatric health care 
        providers resources on medication-assisted treatment training 
        and implementation.
    (b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
subsection (a), an entity shall--
            (1) be a State, political subdivision of a State, Indian 
        tribe, tribal organization, professional pediatric provider 
        organization, professional addiction medicine provider, 
        hospital, an institution of higher education, or other 
        appropriate public or nonprofit institution; and
            (2) certify that it is in compliance with all applicable 
        registration and licensing requirements.
    (c) Application.--To seek a grant under this section, an entity 
shall submit to the Director an application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Director may require.
    (d) Duration.--An eligible entity may receive funds under this 
section to carry out a demonstration program described in this section 
for a period of not greater than 3 years. After the first year for 
which funding is provided to an eligible entity for a demonstration 
program, funding may be provided under this section for a subsequent 
year for such program only upon review of such program by the Director 
and approval by the Director of such subsequent year of funding.
    (e) Reports.--
            (1) By grant recipients.--Each eligible entity awarded a 
        grant under this section for a demonstration program shall 
        submit to the Director progress reports on such demonstration 
        program at such times, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Director may require.
            (2) By director.--Not later than one year after the date on 
        which all demonstration programs funded under this section have 
        been completed, the Director shall submit to the Committee on 
        Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, and the 
        Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives a report that--
                    (A) describes the availability of medication-
                assisted treatment for adolescents and young adults 
                with opioid use disorders in the United States, 
                including barriers to such treatment;
                    (B) describes the specific demonstration programs 
                carried out pursuant to this section;
                    (C) evaluates the effectiveness of such programs;
                    (D) evaluates any unintended consequences of such 
                programs; and
                    (E) provides recommendations for ensuring that 
                medication-assisted treatment is accessible to 
                adolescents and young adults with opioid use disorders.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The phrase ``adolescents and young adults'' means 
        individuals who have attained 10 years of age and not yet 
        attained 26 years of age.
            (2) The term ``medication-assisted treatment'' means 
        pharmacological treatments approved by the Food and Drug 
        Administration, in combination with counseling and behavioral 
        therapies.
            (3) The term ``opioid use disorder'' means a substance use 
        disorder that is a problematic pattern of opioid use leading to 
        clinically significant impairment or distress occurring within 
        a 12-month period.
            (4) The term ``pediatric health care provider'' means a 
        provider of health care to individuals who have attained 10 
        years of age and not yet attained 26 years of age.
            (5) The term ``professional pediatric provider 
        organization'' means a national organization whose members 
        consist primarily of pediatric health care providers.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out this section.

SEC. 4. GAO STUDY AND REPORT ON PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH RELATIVE TO 
              SUBSTANCE USE AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AMONG 
              ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS.

    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study on how Federal agencies are addressing prevention of, 
treatment for, and recovery from substance use by and substance use 
disorders among adolescents and young adults. Such study shall include 
an analysis of each of the following:
            (1) The research that has been, and is being, conducted or 
        supported by the Federal Government on prevention of, treatment 
        for, and recovery from substance use by and substance use 
        disorders among adolescents and young adults, including an 
        assessment of--
                    (A) such research relative to any unique 
                circumstances (including social and biological 
                circumstances) of adolescents and young adults that may 
                make adolescent-specific and young adult-specific 
                treatment protocols necessary, including any effects 
                that substance use and substance use disorders may have 
                on brain development and the implications for treatment 
                and recovery; and
                    (B) areas of such research in which greater 
                investment or focus is necessary relative to other 
                areas of such research.
            (2) The Federal non-research programs and activities that 
        address prevention of, treatment for, and recovery from 
        substance use by and substance use disorders among adolescents 
        and young adults, including an assessment of the effectiveness 
        of such programs and activities in preventing substance use by 
        and substance use disorders among adolescents and young adults, 
        treating such adolescents and young adults in a way that 
        accounts for any unique circumstances faced by adolescents and 
        young adults, and supports long-term recovery among adolescents 
        and young adults.
            (3) Gaps that have been identified by Federal officials and 
        experts in Federal efforts relating to prevention of, treatment 
        for, and recovery from substance use by and substance use 
        disorders among adolescents and young adults, including gaps in 
        research, data collection, and measures to evaluate the 
        effectiveness of Federal efforts, and the reasons for such 
        gaps.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of the Congress a report containing the results of the study 
conducted under subsection (a), including--
            (1) a summary of the findings of the study; and
            (2) recommendations based on the results of the study, 
        including recommendations for such areas of research and 
        legislative and administrative action as the Comptroller 
        General determines appropriate.
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