[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 175 (Thursday, December 3, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8389-S8390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2895. Ms. AYOTTE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 2874 proposed by Mr. McConnell to the bill H.R. 3762, to 
provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 2002 of the concurrent 
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016; which was ordered to lie 
on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. SUPPORT FOR STATE RESPONSE TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE 
                   PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AND URGENT MENTAL HEALTH 
                   NEEDS.

       (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated, 
     and are appropriated, out of monies in the Treasury not 
     otherwise obligated, $750,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2016 and 2017, to the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') to award 
     grants to States to address the substance abuse public health 
     crisis or to respond to urgent mental health needs within the 
     State. In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
     may give preference to States with an incidence or prevalence 
     of substance use disorders that is substantial relative to 
     other States or to States that identify mental health needs 
     within their communities that are urgent relative to such 
     needs of other States. Funds

[[Page S8390]]

     appropriated under this subsection shall remain available 
     until expended.
       (b) Use of Funds.--Grants awarded to a State under 
     subsection (a) shall be used for one or more of the following 
     public health-related activities:
       (1) Improving State prescription drug monitoring programs.
       (2) Implementing prevention activities, and evaluating such 
     activities to identify effective strategies to prevent 
     substance abuse.
       (3) Training for health care practitioners, such as best 
     practices for prescribing opioids, pain management, 
     recognizing potential cases of substance abuse, referral of 
     patients to treatment programs, and overdose prevention.
       (4) Supporting access to health care services provided by 
     federally certified opioid treatment programs or other 
     appropriate health care providers to treat substance use 
     disorders or mental health needs.
       (5) Supporting initiatives designed to help individuals 
     with a substance use disorder achieve and sustain recovery.
       (6) Other public health-related activities, as the State 
     determines appropriate, related to addressing the substance 
     abuse public health crisis or responding to urgent mental 
     health needs within the State.
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