STOP Stigma Act

To make amendments to the names of certain agencies to help end the stigmatization of substance use disorder, and for other purposes. 1. Short title; findings (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Stopping Titles that Overtly Perpetuate Stigma Act STOP Stigma Act (b) Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) Stigma surrounding substance use disorder negatively affects access to care and has a detrimental effect on treatment outcomes. (2) The language used to discuss substance use disorder can contribute to this stigma. (3) Several agencies and a grant within the Department of Health and Human Services use stigmatizing language in their titles. 2. Ending stigmatization of substance use disorder (a) Guidance (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the Secretary (2) Excluded terms The guidance issued under paragraph (1) shall not propose a name for a covered agency or program that contains a term identified by the National Institute on Drug Abuse as stigmatizing, including the following: (A) Abuse (including substance abuse, substance abuser, drug abuse, and drug abuser). (B) Addict (including former addict and reformed addict). (C) Alcoholic. (D) Other stigmatizing terms with respect to substance use, such as clean dirty habit (b) Stakeholder feedback In developing the guidance under subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide for opportunities for input on such guidance from relevant stakeholder groups. (c) Transmission to Congress The Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate— (1) the guidance issued under subsection (a); (2) an assessment of the cost of changing the names of covered agencies and programs as proposed in such guidance; and (3) the Secretary’s recommendations for changes to Federal law to change the names of covered agencies and programs as proposed in such guidance. (d) Covered agency or program defined In this section, the term covered agency or program (1) Within the National Institutes of Health, the following: (A) The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism designated under paragraph (12) of section 401(b) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 281 (B) The National Institute on Drug Abuse designated under paragraph (13) of such section. (C) The National Drug Abuse Research Centers designated under section 464 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 285o–2 (D) The National Drug Abuse Training Center established under section 412 of the Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 ( 21 U.S.C. 1179 (2) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and each of the following agencies of, and program carried out by, such Administration: (A) The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare. (B) The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention established under section 515 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290bb–21 (C) The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment established under section 507 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 290bb (D) The program providing for block grants for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse established under subpart II of part B of title XIX of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300x–21 et seq. (3) Such other agency, service, office, or program of the Department as the Secretary may specify.

Summary: Stopping Titles that Overtly Perpetuate Stigma Act or the STOP Stigma Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue guidance for renaming the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and other agencies and programs with names that contain stigmatizing terms such as abuse, addict, or alcoholic. HHS must also provide Congress with an assessment of the cost of such name changes and recommendations to revise federal laws to rename agencies or programs that are designated in statute.