[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 2, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1236-S1237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3410. Mr. REID submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 3378 proposed by Mr. Grassley (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. 
Whitehouse, Mr. Portman, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Graham, Mr. 
Coons, Mr. Cornyn, and Mr. Durbin) to the bill S. 524, to authorize the 
Attorney General to award grants to address the national epidemics of 
prescription opioid abuse and heroin use; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:


[[Page S1237]]


  

       At the end of title I, add 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 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) 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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