117 HR 2379 EH: State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act of 2021
U.S. House of Representatives
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I
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2379
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AN ACT
To amend the 21st Century Cures Act to reauthorize and expand a grant program for State response to the opioid use disorders crisis, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act of 2021”.
2.

Grant program for State and Tribal response to opioid and stimulant use and misuse
Section 1003 of the 21st Century Cures Act (42 U.S.C. 290ee–3 note) is amended to read as follows:
“1003.

Grant program for State and Tribal response to opioid and stimulant use and misuse
(a)

In general
The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) shall carry out the grant program described in subsection (b) for purposes of addressing opioid and stimulant use and misuse, within States, Indian Tribes, and populations served by Tribal organizations and Urban Indian organizations.
(b)

Grants program
(1)

In general
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall award grants to States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations for the purpose of addressing opioid and stimulant use and misuse, within such States, such Indian Tribes, and populations served by such Tribal organizations and Urban Indian organizations, in accordance with paragraph (2).
(2)

Minimum allocations; preference
In determining grant amounts for each recipient of a grant under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—
(A)
ensure that each State receives not less than $4,000,000; and
(B)
give preference to States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations whose populations have an incidence or prevalence of opioid use disorders or stimulant use or misuse that is substantially higher relative to the populations of other States, other Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, or Urban Indian organizations, as applicable.
(3)

Formula methodology
(A)

In general
Before publishing a funding opportunity announcement with respect to grants under this section, the Secretary shall—
(i)
develop a formula methodology to be followed in allocating grant funds awarded under this section among grantees, which includes performance assessments for continuation awards; and
(ii)
not later than 30 days after developing the formula methodology under clause (i), submit the formula methodology to—
(I)
the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(II)
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
(B)

Report
Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act of 2021, the Comptroller General of the United States 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—
(i)
assesses how grant funding is allocated to States under this section and how such allocations have changed over time;
(ii)
assesses how any changes in funding under this section have affected the efforts of States to address opioid or stimulant use or misuse; and
(iii)
assesses the use of funding provided through the grant program under this section and other similar grant programs administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
(4)

Use of funds
Grants awarded under this subsection shall be used for carrying out activities that supplement activities pertaining to opioid and stimulant use and misuse, undertaken by the State agency responsible for administering the substance abuse prevention and treatment block grant under subpart II of part B of title XIX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x–21 et seq.), which may include public health-related activities such as the following:
(A)
Implementing prevention activities, and evaluating such activities to identify effective strategies to prevent substance use disorders.
(B)
Establishing or improving prescription drug monitoring programs.
(C)
Training for health care practitioners, such as best practices for prescribing opioids, pain management, recognizing potential cases of substance use disorders, referral of patients to treatment programs, preventing diversion of controlled substances, and overdose prevention.
(D)
Supporting access to health care services, including—
(i)
services provided by federally certified opioid treatment programs;
(ii)
outpatient and residential substance use disorder treatment services that utilize medication-assisted treatment, as appropriate; or
(iii)
other appropriate health care providers to treat substance use disorders.
(E)
Recovery support services, including—
(i)
community-based services that include peer supports;
(ii)
mutual aid recovery programs that support medication-assisted treatment; or
(iii)
services to address housing needs and family issues.
(F)
Other public health-related activities, as the State, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, or Urban Indian organization determines appropriate, related to addressing substance use disorders within the State, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, or Urban Indian organization, including directing resources in accordance with local needs related to substance use disorders.
(c)

Accountability and oversight
A State receiving a grant under subsection (b) shall include in reporting related to substance use disorders submitted to the Secretary pursuant to section 1942 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x–52), a description of—
(1)
the purposes for which the grant funds received by the State under such subsection for the preceding fiscal year were expended and a description of the activities of the State under the grant;
(2)
the ultimate recipients of amounts provided to the State; and
(3)
the number of individuals served through the grant.
(d)

Limitations
Any funds made available pursuant to subsection (i)—
(1)
shall not be used for any purpose other than the grant program under subsection (b); and
(2)
shall be subject to the same requirements as substance use disorders prevention and treatment programs under titles V and XIX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa et seq., 300w et seq.).
(e)

Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations
The Secretary, in consultation with Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations, shall identify and establish appropriate mechanisms for Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations to demonstrate or report the information as required under subsections (b), (c), and (d).
(f)

Report to Congress
Not later than September 30, 2024, and biennially thereafter, the Secretary 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, and the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, a report that includes a summary of the information provided to the Secretary in reports made pursuant to subsections (c) and (e), including—
(1)
the purposes for which grant funds are awarded under this section;
(2)
the activities of the grant recipients; and
(3)
for each State, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, and Urban Indian organization that receives a grant under this section, the funding level provided to such recipient.
(g)

Technical assistance
The Secretary, including through the Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, shall provide States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations, as applicable, with technical assistance concerning grant application and submission procedures under this section, award management activities, and enhancing outreach and direct support to rural and underserved communities and providers in addressing substance use disorders.
(h)

Definitions
In this section:
(1)

Indian Tribe
The term Indian Tribe has the meaning given the term Indian tribe in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(2)

Tribal organization
The term Tribal organization has the meaning given the term tribal organization in such section 4.
(3)

State
The term State has the meaning given such term in section 1954(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x–64(b)).
(4)

Urban Indian organization
The term Urban Indian organization has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
(i)

Authorization of appropriations
(1)

In general
For purposes of carrying out the grant program under subsection (b), there is authorized to be appropriated $1,750,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2027, to remain available until expended.
(2)

Federal administrative expenses
Of the amounts made available for each fiscal year to award grants under subsection (b), the Secretary shall not use more than 20 percent for Federal administrative expenses, training, technical assistance, and evaluation.
(3)

Set aside
Of the amounts made available for each fiscal year to award grants under subsection (b) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall—
(A)
award 5 percent to Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations; and
(B)
of the amount remaining after application of subparagraph (A), set aside up to 15 percent for awards to States with the highest age-adjusted rate of drug overdose death based on the ordinal ranking of States according to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”.
Passed the House of Representatives October 20, 2021.
Cheryl L. Johnson,
Clerk.