SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF REGIONAL CENTERS OF EX-
CELLENCE IN SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 
EDUCATION. 
Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act 
is amended by inserting after section 549 (42 U.S.C. 
290ee–4) the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 550. REGIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN SUB-
STANCE USE DISORDER EDUCATION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with such other agencies as are appropriate, shall, subject 
to the availability of appropriations, establish a solicitation 
process and award cooperative agreements to eligible enti-
ties for the designation of such entities as Regional Cen-
ters of Excellence in Substance Use Disorder Education 
and support of such regional centers of excellence to en-
hance and improve how health professionals are educated 
in pain management and substance use disorder through 
development, evaluation, and distribution of evidence- 
based curriculum for health care professional schools. An 
eligible entity designated by the Secretary as a Regional 
Center of Excellence in Substance Use Disorder Edu-
cation shall carry out the activities described in subsection 
(b). 
‘‘(b) SELECTION OF CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.— 
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‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a cooperative agreement under subsection (a), 
an entity shall— 
‘‘(A) be an entity specified by the Sec-
retary that offers education to students in var-
ious health professions, which may include— 
‘‘(i) a health system; 
‘‘(ii) a teaching hospital; 
‘‘(iii) a community health center; 
‘‘(iv) a physician’s office; 
‘‘(v) a medical school; or 
‘‘(vi) any other health professional 
school, school of public health, or Coopera-
tive Extension Program at institutions of 
higher education engaged in an aspect of 
the prevention, treatment, or recovery of 
substance use disorders; 
‘‘(B) demonstrate an existing strategy, and 
have in place a plan for continuing such strat-
egy, or a proposed strategy to implement a cur-
riculum based on best practices for substance 
use disorder prevention, treatment, and recov-
ery; 
‘‘(C) demonstrate community engagement 
and participation through community partners, 
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including mental health counselors, social work-
ers, peer recovery specialists, substance use 
treatment programs, law enforcement, and the 
business community; and 
‘‘(D) provide to the Secretary such infor-
mation, at such time, and in such manner, as 
the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(2) 
DIVERSITY.—In 
awarding 
cooperative 
agreements under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
take into account regional differences among eligible 
entities and shall make an effort to ensure geo-
graphic diversity. 
‘‘(c) DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(1) PUBLIC
POSTING.—The Secretary shall 
make information provided to the Secretary under 
subsection (b)(1)(D) publically available on the 
Internet website of the Department of Health and 
Human Services. 
‘‘(2) EVALUATION.—The Secretary shall evalu-
ate each project carried out by a Regional Center of 
Excellence in Substance Use Disorder Education 
under this section and shall disseminate the findings 
with respect to each such evaluation to appropriate 
public and private entities. 
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‘‘(d) FUNDING.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this section, $2,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2019 through 2023.’’. 
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF NIH CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE 
IN PAIN EDUCATION. 
Part C of title IV of the Public Health Service Act 
is amended by inserting after section 409J (42 U.S.C. 
284q) the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 409K. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN PAIN EDU-
CATION. 
‘‘There is authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023 for the Centers 
of Excellence in Pain Education program conducted by the 
Director of NIH, through the Pain Consortium, under 
which such Centers of Excellence provide for coordination 
of the development, evaluation, and distribution of pain 
management curriculum for health professional schools to 
improve how health care professionals are taught about 
pain and its treatment.’’. 
Æ 
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