[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5006-H5008]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR ADDICTION ACT OF 2020

  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5572) to establish a grant program for family community 
organizations that provide support for individuals struggling with 
substance use disorder and their families, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5572

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[[Page H5007]]

  


     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Family Support Services for 
     Addiction Act of 2020''.

     SEC. 2. FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLING 
                   WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.

       Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 
     U.S.C. 290dd et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 553. FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS 
                   STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
       ``(1) the term `family community organization' means an 
     independent nonprofit organization that--
       ``(A) mobilizes resources within and outside of the 
     community of families with individuals living with addiction, 
     to provide a support network, education, and evidence-
     informed tools for families and loved ones of individuals 
     struggling with substance use disorders; and
       ``(B) is governed by experts in the field of addiction, 
     which may include--
       ``(i) experts in evidence-informed interventions for family 
     members;
       ``(ii) experts in the impact of addiction on family 
     systems;
       ``(iii) families who have experience with substance use 
     disorders and addiction; and
       ``(iv) other experts in the field of addiction; and
       ``(2) the term `family support services' means resources or 
     programs that support families that include an individual 
     with substance use disorder.
       ``(b) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary shall award grants 
     to family community organizations to enable such 
     organizations to develop, expand, and enhance evidence-
     informed family support services.
       ``(c) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the costs of a 
     program funded by a grant under this section may not exceed 
     85 percent.
       ``(d) Use of Funds.--Grants awarded under subsection (b)--
       ``(1) shall be used to develop, expand, and enhance 
     community and statewide evidence-informed family support 
     services; and
       ``(2) may be used to--
       ``(A) build connections between family support networks, 
     including providing technical assistance between family 
     community organizations and peer support networks, and with 
     other family support services, focused on enhancing knowledge 
     of evidence-informed interventions for family members and 
     loved ones of individuals living with substance use disorders 
     and reducing harm by educating service providers on current 
     evidence regarding addiction and the family, including--
       ``(i) behavioral health providers, including such providers 
     focused specifically on family and couples therapy in the 
     context of addiction;
       ``(ii) primary care providers;
       ``(iii) providers of foster care services or support 
     services for grandparents, guardians, and other extended 
     family impacted by addiction; and
       ``(iv) other family support services that connect to 
     community resources for individuals with substance use 
     disorders, including non-clinical community services;
       ``(B) reduce stigma associated with the family of 
     individuals with substance use disorders by improving 
     knowledge about addiction and its treatment, providing 
     compassionate support, and dispelling myths that perpetuate 
     such stigma;
       ``(C) conduct outreach on issues relating to substance use 
     disorders and family support, which may include education, 
     training, and resources with respect to--
       ``(i) building a resilience- and strengths-based approach 
     to prevention of, and living with, addiction in the family;
       ``(ii) identifying the signs of substance use disorder;
       ``(iii) adopting an approach that minimizes harm to all 
     family members; and
       ``(iv) families of individuals with a substance use 
     disorder, including with respect to--

       ``(I) navigating the treatment and recovery systems;
       ``(II) paying for addiction treatment;
       ``(III) education about substance use disorder; and
       ``(IV) avoiding predatory treatment programs; and

       ``(D) connect families to evidence-informed peer support 
     programs.
       ``(e) Data Reporting and Program Oversight.--With respect 
     to a grant awarded under subsection (a), not later than 90 
     days after the end of the first year of the grant period, and 
     annually thereafter for the duration of the grant period, the 
     entity shall submit data, as appropriate and to the extent 
     practicable, to the Secretary regarding--
       ``(1) the programs and activities funded by the grant;
       ``(2) health outcomes of the population of individuals with 
     a substance use disorder who received services through 
     programs supported by the grant, as evaluated by an 
     independent program evaluator through the use of outcomes 
     measures, as determined by the Secretary; and
       ``(3) any other information that the secretary may require 
     for the purpose of ensuring that the grant recipient is 
     complying with all the requirements of the grant.
       ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. Madam 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. 5572.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5572, the Family 
Support Services for Addiction Act of 2020.
  According to new data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration, nearly 20 million Americans live with a 
substance use disorder. While we are making progress in connecting 
Americans with treatment, the reality is that only a fraction of those 
Americans receives the care they really need.
  The Family Support Services for Addiction Act builds upon recent 
congressional efforts, such as the 21st Century Cures Act and the 
SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, to help close the treatment 
gap and get Americans on the road to recovery. We know that families 
can play a significant role in helping an individual find treatment, 
yet there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution to ensuring a family 
member or loved one can get the care they need. We also know that 
substance use disorders affect more than just the individual. It 
affects the family in its entirety.
  Madam Speaker, as my colleagues and I heard during our hearings on 
this bill, getting families evidence-based guidance and connecting them 
with other community support systems can dramatically influence the 
trajectory of an individual's path to recovery. That is exactly what 
this bill sets out to do.
  H.R. 5572 would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to award grants to family community organizations that would work to 
develop, expand, and enhance evidence-based family support services. 
These family community organizations can use the grant to reduce stigma 
around substance use disorder and build connections between families 
and providers, foster care services, and other peer-support services.
  Madam Speaker, given the impact of this drug epidemic, chances are 
that many of us know someone--whether it be a loved one, a neighbor, a 
co-worker, or a classmate--who has a substance use disorder. And while 
we know that substance use disorders are complex, they are treatable. 
An individual's road to treatment can be driven by family supports 
encouraged through this legislation.
  I commend the lead sponsor of this legislation, Representative   
David Trone and also Representative   Daniel Meuser, and their staff, 
for advocating for additional support for families. I also thank the 
Democratic and Republican members of our committee, as well as 
bipartisan committee staff, for working together to move this bill, and 
I hope the Senate will act on it swiftly.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALDEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5572, the Family Support 
Services for Addiction Act, which was introduced by Representatives 
Trone and Meuser.
  This legislation would establish grant programs for family community 
organizations to provide evidence-informed and family-based approaches 
to substance use and addiction management. Family-based approaches have 
demonstrated stronger outcomes in substance use disorder recovery when 
compared with individual approaches, as they address several 
psychosocial dimensions of addiction and strengthen support networks 
for affected individuals.
  Madam Speaker, the legislation before us today supports family 
community organizations that are committed to pursuing evidence-based 
interventions for substance use disorder, reduce the stigma of 
addiction, and strengthen both families and communities through 
recovery.

[[Page H5008]]

  Madam Speaker, I thank our two colleagues that sponsored this 
important bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Trone).
  Mr. TRONE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to show my support for the 
millions of families struggling to help their loved ones suffering 
through addiction.
  My family fought to get help for my nephew, Ian, that he needed 
before he lost his life to an overdose in 2016. It was hard for us to 
do, even with the resources we had at our disposal.
  For most families, it is nearly impossible to navigate our behavioral 
health system in its current form. It is a confusing system that leaves 
families like mine with no clue what treatment option is right for 
their loved one.
  Now more than ever, families are on the front lines of this fight. 
Overdoses are on the rise across America, and COVID-19 is making 
matters much worse. Every single county in my district saw an increase 
in overdose deaths last quarter--some as much as 50 percent. And last 
year, more Americans died of drug overdoses than ever before--more than 
70,000.
  Madam Speaker, that is why I introduced the Family Support Services 
for Addiction Act with Congressman  Dan Meuser. This bipartisan bill 
provides for nonprofits working with families struggling with 
addiction. The bill will provide grants to reach more families, create 
more tailored treatments, and save more lives.
  Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Meuser, Chairman Pallone, 
Chairwoman Eshoo, and Ranking Member Walden for this much-needed bill. 
We have got to get this done. Lives are depending on it.
  Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this legislation.
  Mr. WALDEN. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser), one of the coauthors of this 
very, very important and meaningful legislation, who serves 
Pennsylvania's Ninth Congressional District in the U.S. House.
  Mr. MEUSER. Madam Speaker, it is really my honor to be here today in 
support with Congressman Trone, and I thank him for his partnership and 
his leadership on this very important issue.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer support for our bill, H.R. 5572, 
the Family Support Services for Addiction Act, which provides a family 
and community-based approach to addiction treatment that works to 
address the deep-seated effects of the addiction crisis on so many 
families.
  The opioid epidemic is ravaging my district and many States across 
America, and all of Pennsylvania is by no means an exception. In 2017, 
Pennsylvania experienced 5,456 drug-related overdose deaths. It has 
impacted virtually every family throughout the Commonwealth.
  Far too many families struggling with substance use disorder feel 
like they have nowhere to turn for the resources and very important 
information.

                              {time}  1515

  This bill would establish a grant program for family community 
organizations that provide support for families of individuals 
struggling with substance use disorder. These services can include 
information and referral sources, support groups, system navigation to 
assist the family in finding resources, parent training and education, 
specialized crisis support, and, really, much, much more, again, where 
they currently don't know where to turn.
  As a member of the Freshman Working Group on Addiction, I am very 
proud to be the Republican lead on a bill that takes critical steps to 
help families feel empowered and equipped to support their loved ones 
struggling with substance use disorder.
  I again want to very, very sincerely congratulate and thank 
Congressman   David Trone for his hard work, his dedication, and his 
great care in helping those suffering from drug addiction.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I urge its swift 
passage.
  Mr. WALDEN. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I also urge support for the bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5572, the 
``Family Support Services for Addiction Act of 2020.'' I'm proud to 
have advanced this bipartisan bill through my Health Subcommittee and 
I'm pleased to support it on the Floor today.
  H.R. 5572, the ``Family Support Services for Addiction Act of 2020'' 
was introduced by Reps. David Trone (D-MD) and Daniel Meuser (R-PA) and 
provides grants to community organizations that provide support 
services for families and family members living with substance use 
disorders or addiction. When family members are empowered and supported 
to help their loved one struggling with substance use disorder, 
patients and families achieve better outcomes.
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that more 
than 70,000 people died in the U.S. from an opioid overdose in 2019. 
These numbers are projected to be higher in 2020, in part because of 
the COVID pandemic. We have to do everything we can to address the 
substance use disorder crisis by helping patients and their families. I 
urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5572, as amended.
  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. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3 of House Resolution 
965, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
will be postponed.

                          ____________________