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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Treatment, Education, 
and Community Help to Combat Addiction Act of 2018’’ 
or the ‘‘TEACH to Combat Addiction Act of 2018’’. 
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 substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and re-
covery through development, evaluation, and distribution 
of evidence-based curricula for health profession schools. 
An eligible entity designated by the Secretary as a Re-
gional Center of Excellence in Substance Use Disorder 
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Education shall carry out the activities described in sub-
section (b). 
‘‘(b) SELECTION OF CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.— 
‘‘(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 medical school; 
‘‘(iv) a certified behavioral health clin-
ic; or 
‘‘(v) any other health profession 
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) be accredited by the appropriate edu-
cational accreditation body; 
‘‘(C) demonstrate an existing strategy, and 
have in place a plan for continuing such strat-
egy, or a proposed strategy to implement a cur-
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riculum based on best practices for substance 
use disorder prevention, treatment, and recov-
ery; 
‘‘(D) demonstrate community engagement 
and participation through community partners, 
including other health profession schools, men-
tal health counselors, social workers, peer recov-
ery specialists, substance use treatment pro-
grams, community health centers, physicians’ 
offices, certified behavioral health clinics, law 
enforcement, and the business community; and 
‘‘(E) 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)(E) publically available on the 
Internet website of the Department of Health and 
Human Services. 
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‘‘(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. 
‘‘(d) FUNDING.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this section, $4,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2019 through 2023.’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives June 12, 2018. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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