[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 13, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5125-H5127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ASSISTING STATES' IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS OF SAFE CARE ACT
Mr. GARRETT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5890) to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services
to provide assistance to States in complying with, and implementing,
certain provisions of section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and
Treatment Act in order to promote better protections for young children
and family-centered responses, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows
H.R. 5890
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 ``Assisting States'
Implementation of Plans of Safe Care Act''.
SEC. 2. ASSISTING STATES WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS OF SAFE
CARE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall provide written guidance and, if appropriate, technical
assistance to support States in complying with, and
implementing, subsections (b)(2)(B)(iii) and (d)(18) of
section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
(42 U.S.C. 5106a) in order to promote better protections for
young children and family-centered responses.
(b) Requirements.--The guidance and technical assistance
shall--
(1) enhance States' understanding of requirements and
flexibilities under the law, including clarifying key terms;
(2) address State-identified challenges with developing,
implementing, and monitoring plans of safe care;
(3) disseminate best practices related to developing and
implementing plans of safe care, including differential
response, collaboration and coordination, and identification
and delivery of services, while recognizing needs of
different populations and varying community approaches across
States;
(4) support collaboration between health care providers,
social service agencies, public health agencies, and the
child welfare system, to promote a family-centered treatment
approach;
(5) prevent separation and support reunification of
families if in the best interests of the child;
(6) recommend treatment approaches for serving infants,
pregnant women, and postpartum women whose infants may be
affected by substance use that are designed to keep infants
with their mothers and families whenever appropriate,
including recommendations to encourage pregnant women to
receive health and other support services during pregnancy;
(7) support State efforts to develop technology systems to
manage and monitor implementation of plans of safe care; and
(8) help States improve the long-term safety and well-being
of young children and their families.
(c) Construction.--The guidance and technical assistance
shall not be construed to amend the requirements of the Child
Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.).
(d) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term
``State'' has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5101
note).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Garrett) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. GARRETT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 5890.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. GARRETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5890, the Assisting
States' Implementation of Plans of Safe Care Act.
In 2016, a staggering 2.1 million Americans experienced an opioid
abuse disorder. To put that in perspective, the number of fatalities
based on opioid abuse in the most recent year approaches the number
60,000. To put that in perspective, it is nearly sixfold the number of
alcohol-related deaths on our highways. It is nearly twofold the number
of automotive deaths on our highways. It is, in fact, greater than the
number of deaths from automobiles plus nonsuicide-related firearms
deaths combined.
[[Page H5126]]
What is more troubling is that this number only takes into account
those who directly suffered from substance abuse. What it does not take
into account are the many people who experienced the secondhand trauma
of a loved one struggling with opioid addiction.
One of the greatest tragedies of the opioid epidemic is that
thousands of children have been swept up by the current of the epidemic
due to the substance abuse of a family member or other adult tasked
with caring for them.
The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, CAPTA, recently amended
in 2016 by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, CARA, requires
States to implement a plan of safe care to protect the health and
safety of young children and promote a family-centered approach to
treatment and service delivery. Unfortunately, the requirements
included by CARA failed to provide States with substantive guidance and
information, which has led to significant confusion and poor
implementation of plans of safe care.
States and localities might benefit from written guidance and
technical assistance provided by the Department of Health and Human
Services as they strive to meet Federal requirements and address the
known challenges in their individual plans. Through an enhanced
understanding of the requirements, States will be able to better
protect the well-being of children and infants when working with
families impacted by the trauma related to opioid abuse.
It is clear the opioid epidemic is already multigenerational in
nature, as children must confront the pain of an addicted parent or
guardian. By strengthening States' responsiveness and plans of safe
care, we can help give these children the protection they need while
strengthening families for long-term success and stability.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5890. The most recent omnibus
legislation increased funding for the Child Abuse Prevention and
Treatment Act, or CAPTA, by $60 million, and this bill would help
States improve their support for infants, children, and families
suffering from the opioid epidemic by requiring Health and Human
Services to provide guidance to States on how to implement effective
plans of safe care.
Pregnant women and young mothers can face seemingly insurmountable
challenges when struggling with addiction. I think about Tiffany, whom
I met in Oregon. She is from Happy Valley, Oregon, and her struggle
with addiction began after she was prescribed medication following a C-
section for her third child's birth.
After having to send her kids to live with her mom, she was finally
able to access treatment and other support services. She is now clean,
in recovery, able to care for her kids again, and, importantly, help
others.
We must do everything we can to support moms like Tiffany and provide
the necessary resources and care to parents and their children so they
can have the opportunity to be reunited.
Although I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, it
is important to note that CAPTA, even with the $60 million increase, is
not fully funded. Only when CAPTA receives the full amount authorized
under law will States be able to meet all requirements and adequately
address the needs of children exposed to substance abuse.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues, Congressman Garrett and
Congresswoman Murphy, for their work on this important legislation, and
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GARRETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), the honorable chairwoman.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Virginia for
yielding time.
Mr. Speaker, across the country, communities are struggling to bear
the heavy burden of the worsening trend to opioid addiction. At the
Committee on Education and the Workforce, we like the idea of evidence-
based policymaking. We like to see numbers and statistics. We have to
remember, though, that these are never just numbers; they are real
people in our own communities.
We have held hearings, spoken with experts, brainstormed solutions,
and drafted bills. It has become abundantly clear to me that, for every
person living with an opioid addiction, there are countless others who
also have a steep price to pay. Few things are more devastating than
witnessing a neighbor, a friend, a coworker, or a loved one fall prey
to addiction and feeling powerless to stop it.
I want to thank and commend members of the Committee on Education and
the Workforce for leaving no stone unturned as we work to make healing
possible to all victims of this scourge of addiction, not only those
who are struggling with opioid abuse.
Too many people, especially children, have been impacted by this
scourge. Today's bills are designed to bring relief to those who are
affected by the addiction while addressing the needs of children and
families who have been left in this tragedy's wake.
According to many experts, the worst of the opioid addiction is still
to come. If we are to bring this senseless tragedy to an end, we need
to do all we can to ensure that the law addresses the needs of
families, workplaces, and communities at large. I believe the bills the
House is voting on today will do just that, and again, I commend the
members of the Education and the Workforce Committee for all their hard
work.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Murphy), who is a cosponsor of this
legislation.
Mrs. MURPHY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be the Democratic
lead of this bipartisan bill, and I want to thank Mr. Garrett of
Virginia for working with me on this legislation.
The purpose of our bill is to ensure that States have effective plans
in place to protect infants who are innocent victims of the opioid
epidemic. The bill aims to help Florida and other States develop
evidence-based policies and procedures to properly care for babies born
dependent on drugs.
{time} 1515
Too many Americans and too many Floridians battle opioid addiction.
As a mother, it breaks my heart to see innocent children suffer the
consequences of adult addiction. We must do everything possible to
ensure that drug-dependent babies receive proper care at the hospital
and proper family, community, and medical support once they are
discharged.
There are an estimated 2.1 million Americans addicted to opioids,
typically, to prescription painkillers. Babies born to mothers who used
opioids during pregnancy are at risk of an opioid withdrawal condition
called neonatal abstinence syndrome. While there are common and
effective ways to treat this syndrome, there are no uniform protocols.
Under Federal law, States are required to develop a plan to safely
care for infants exposed to substance abuse. However, a 2015
investigation by Reuters indicated that very few States have plans in
place that fulfill this Federal requirement. As a result, too many
infants exposed to substance abuse and their caregivers are not
receiving the comprehensive support they need.
Our bill seeks to address this problem. It would require HHS to
provide guidance to States on how to implement safe and effective plans
to care for infants born dependent on drugs. It would ensure this
guidance promotes evidence-based practices and encourages State
governments to collaborate with healthcare providers, social service
agencies, and other community stakeholders, and it would ensure that
HHS' guidance promotes family-centered treatment that seeks to keep
families intact whenever possible.
Each year, thousands of babies in this country are born addicted to
opioids, including about 4,000 in Florida alone. These babies need our
support. This bill seeks to provide it. I respectfully ask my
colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Mr. GARRETT. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close if the gentlewoman
from Oregon would like to conclude her remarks.
[[Page H5127]]
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Once again, Mr. Speaker, I want to encourage my colleagues to support
this important legislation. I want to thank Congressman Garrett and
Congresswoman Murphy for their work on the legislation. I also want to
thank Chairwoman Foxx for reminding us that we are not just talking
about abstract policy. We are talking about real people: men, women,
and especially children who are affected by this crisis.
So, again, thank you to the cosponsors of the legislation. I urge its
passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GARRETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida, as well as the
chairwoman from North Carolina and my friend and colleague from Oregon
(Ms. Bonamici).
I strongly urge my colleagues of every political stripe to recognize
that, perhaps while responsibility is best exercised when taken and not
given, we contemplate here the outcomes for so many innocents who are
unable to determine their circumstance, that is, indeed, children who
are born into this horrific affliction of opioid addiction, and
understand that, while one might wax poetic about things like personal
responsibility and accountability, the Federal Government does, indeed,
have a role to fill a vacuum where the States have not acted in the
circumstance wherein those who suffer suffer by virtue of circumstances
far, far beyond their control.
I would hope that the Members of this body on both sides would find
themselves compelled by the sheer mathematical magnitude of the
epidemic that is the opioid crisis--again, one that takes more lives
than nonsuicide gun violence and automobile accidents combined, and one
that impacts not just those who exercise choices but those impacted by
circumstances far beyond their control--with this but a humble step,
not a panacea, towards creating a better circumstance wherein all
Americans experience something closer to an equal opportunity to
prosper.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues across both sides of the political
spectrum to vote in favor of H.R. 5890, and I yield back the balance of
my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Garrett) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5890.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GARRETT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________