PDMPs Help Patients Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.280 | Sponsor: Rep. McKinley, David B. (R-WV)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
PDMPs Help Patients Act of 2021
This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a grant program to test the feasibility of integrating substance use disorder and behavioral health treatment locator tools into prescription drug monitoring programs. HHS may award grants to up to five states.

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a 
  pilot program to test the feasibility and outcomes of integrating a 
  substance use disorder and behavioral health treatment locator tool 
  into the prescription drug monitoring programs of 5 eligible States.

    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 ``PDMPs Help Patients Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR INTEGRATING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND 
              BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT LOCATOR TOOL INTO STATE 
              PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in 
consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and 
Substance Use, shall establish and implement a pilot program in which 
the Secretary awards grants to, or enters into cooperative agreements 
with, not more than 5 eligible States to test the feasibility and 
outcomes of integrating a substance use disorder and behavioral health 
treatment locator tool into the State's prescription drug monitoring 
program.
    (b) Grant Establishment and Participation.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the pilot program under 
        this section, the Secretary shall, on a competitive basis, 
        award grants to, or enter into cooperative agreements with, not 
        more than 5 eligible States.
            (2) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under this 
        section, a State shall demonstrate to the Secretary's 
        satisfaction that the State is making progress in integrating 
        the State's PDMP with electronic health records and health 
        information technology infrastructure.
            (3) Preference.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Secretary shall give preference to eligible States described in 
        paragraph (2) whose rates of death due to drug overdose per 
        population of 100,000 are in the top quartile according to the 
        most recent data of the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention.
    (c) Period of Grant.--A grant awarded to an eligible entity under 
this section shall be for a period of 2 years.
    (d) Grant Uses.--
            (1) Required uses.--A grant awarded under this section to 
        an eligible State shall be used for both of the following 
        purposes:
                    (A) To integrate a substance use disorder and 
                behavioral health treatment locator tool into the PDMP.
                    (B) To develop and disseminate guidance for health 
                care providers on how to consult and share information 
                obtained through the substance use disorder and 
                behavioral health treatment locator tool when a 
                patient's PDMP information indicates possible misuse of 
                a controlled substance.
            (2) Additional permissible uses.--A grant awarded under 
        this section to an eligible State may be used for any of the 
        following additional purposes:
                    (A) To integrate a substance use disorder and 
                behavioral health treatment locator tool into the PDMP 
                that incorporates direct referral capabilities that 
                enable the health care provider--
                            (i) to refer a patient to treatment or for 
                        an assessment; and
                            (ii) consistent with the protection of 
                        information by Federal and State privacy laws 
                        and security rules, receive feedback about the 
                        patient's engagement with such treatment or 
                        assessment.
                    (B) To integrate a substance use disorder and 
                behavioral health treatment locator tool into the PDMP 
                that provides information regarding the current 
                capacity of inpatient or outpatient treatment resources 
                of a health care provider.
    (e) Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) Reports by states.--Each eligible State that 
        participates in the pilot program under this section shall 
        submit to the Secretary an annual report for each year of the 
        pilot program that includes information on--
                    (A) the number of health care providers and health 
                facilities with access to the substance use disorder 
                and behavioral health treatment locator tool;
                    (B) the number of individuals referred to treatment 
                with the assistance of the locator tool;
                    (C) aggregate, de-identified patient data related 
                to the type of treatment located by the locator tool, 
                how often patients followed through on seeking such 
                treatment, and the average duration of such treatment, 
                to the extent collected by the State;
                    (D) feedback from providers with access to the 
                locator tool on usability and any impact on outcomes;
                    (E) recommendations to improve the usability and 
                efficacy of a substance use disorder and behavioral 
                health treatment locator tool within the PDMP; and
                    (F) additional information and reporting metrics as 
                determined by the Secretary.
            (2) Report by secretary.--Not less than 180 days after the 
        conclusion of the pilot program under this section, the 
        Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report on the findings 
        of the program, including--
                    (A) outcomes reported by the participating States;
                    (B) findings on the suitability of including a 
                substance use disorder and behavioral health treatment 
                locator tool within State PDMPs; and
                    (C) recommendations on best practices for 
                integrating a substance use disorder and behavioral 
                health treatment locator tool within State PDMPs.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``prescription drug monitoring program'' or 
        ``PDMP'' has the meaning given to the term ``PDMP'' in section 
        399O of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g-3).
            (2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated $2,500,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 and 2023.
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