Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act
Bill: H.R.2364 | Sponsor: Rep. Kim, Andy (D-NJ)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide education and training related to synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and its analogues.
Specifically, HHS must launch a public education campaign on the dangers of synthetic opioids and related issues.
HHS must also produce training materials to prevent exposure to synthetic opioids for first responders and others who are at high risk of such exposure and disseminate the materials to ambulance transport personnel, local sheriff deputies, and other first responders and individuals in high-risk occupations.

To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to direct the 
   Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease 
 Control and Prevention, to provide for a public education campaign to 
              raise public awareness of synthetic opioids.

    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 ``Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness 
Act''.

SEC. 2. SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.

    Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended by 
inserting after section 317U (42 U.S.C. 247b-23) the following new 
section:

``SEC. 317V. SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.

    ``(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall provide for the planning 
and implementation of a public education campaign to raise public 
awareness of synthetic opioids (including fentanyl and its analogues). 
Such campaign shall include the dissemination of information that--
            ``(1) promotes awareness about the potency and dangers of 
        fentanyl and its analogues and other synthetic opioids;
            ``(2) explains services provided by the Substance Abuse and 
        Mental Health Services Administration and the Centers for 
        Disease Control and Prevention (and any entity providing such 
        services under a contract entered into with such agencies) with 
        respect to the misuse of opioids, particularly as such services 
        relate to the provision of alternative, non-opioid pain 
        management treatments; and
            ``(3) relates generally to opioid use and pain management.
    ``(b) Use of Media.--The campaign under subsection (a) may be 
implemented through the use of television, radio, internet, in-person 
public communications, and other commercial marketing venues and may be 
targeted to specific age groups.
    ``(c) Consideration of Report Findings.--In planning and 
implementing the public education campaign under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall take into consideration the findings of the report 
required under section 7001 of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities 
Act (Public Law 115-271).
    ``(d) Consultation.--In coordinating the campaign under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall consult with the Assistant Secretary for 
Mental Health and Substance Use to provide ongoing advice on the 
effectiveness of information disseminated through the campaign.
    ``(e) Requirement of Campaign.--The campaign implemented under 
subsection (a) shall not be duplicative of any other Federal efforts 
relating to eliminating the misuse of opioids.
    ``(f) Evaluation.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
        campaign implemented under subsection (a) is subject to an 
        independent evaluation, beginning 2 years after the date of the 
        enactment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter.
            ``(2) Measures and benchmarks.--For purposes of an 
        evaluation conducted pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary 
        shall--
                    ``(A) establish baseline measures and benchmarks to 
                quantitatively evaluate the impact of the campaign 
                under this section; and
                    ``(B) conduct qualitative assessments regarding the 
                effectiveness of strategies employed under this 
                section.
    ``(g) Report.--The Secretary shall, beginning 2 years after the 
date of the enactment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter, 
submit to Congress a report on the effectiveness of the campaign 
implemented under subsection (a) towards meeting the measures and 
benchmarks established under subsection (e)(2).
    ``(h) Dissemination of Information Through Providers.--The 
Secretary shall develop and implement a plan for the dissemination of 
information related to synthetic opioids, to health care providers who 
participate in Federal programs, including programs administered by the 
Department of Health and Human Services, the Indian Health Service, the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the 
Health Resources and Services Administration, the Medicare program 
under title XVIII of the Social Security Act, and the Medicaid program 
under title XIX of such Act.''.

SEC. 3. TRAINING GUIDE AND OUTREACH ON SYNTHETIC OPIOID EXPOSURE 
              PREVENTION.

    (a) Training Guide.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
design, publish, and make publicly available on the internet website of 
the Department of Health and Human Services, a training guide and 
webinar for first responders and other individuals who also may be at 
high risk of exposure to synthetic opioids that details measures to 
prevent that exposure.
    (b) Outreach.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
also conduct outreach about the availability of the training guide and 
webinar published under subsection (a) to--
            (1) police and fire managements;
            (2) sheriff deputies in city and county jails;
            (3) ambulance transport and hospital emergency room 
        personnel;
            (4) clinicians; and
            (5) other high-risk occupations, as identified by the 
        Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 8, 2021.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.