Family Support Services for Addiction Act of 2021
Bill: S.485 | Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. (D-NY)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Family Support Services for Addiction Act of 2021
This bill directs the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to award grants to certain nonprofits to develop or expand services for individuals with substance use disorders and their families.

To establish a grant program for family community organizations that 
provide support for individuals struggling with substance use disorder 
                          and their families.

    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 ``Family Support Services for 
Addiction Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLING WITH 
              SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.

    Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290dd 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 553. FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLING WITH 
              SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
            ``(1) the term `family community organization' means an 
        independent nonprofit organization that--
                    ``(A) mobilizes resources within and outside of the 
                community of families that include an individual living 
                with a substance use disorder, to provide a support 
                network, education, and evidence-informed tools for 
                families and loved ones of individuals struggling with 
                substance use disorders; and
                    ``(B) is governed by experts in the field of 
                substance use disorder, which may include--
                            ``(i) experts in evidence-informed 
                        interventions for family members;
                            ``(ii) experts in the impact of substance 
                        use disorder on family systems;
                            ``(iii) families who have experience with 
                        substance use disorder; and
                            ``(iv) other experts in the field of 
                        substance use disorder; and
            ``(2) the term `family support services' means resources or 
        programs that support families that include an individual with 
        substance use disorder.
    ``(b) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary shall award grants to 
family community organizations to enable such organizations to develop, 
expand, and enhance evidence-informed family support services.
    ``(c) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the costs of a program 
funded by a grant under this section may not exceed 85 percent.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--Grants awarded under subsection (b)--
            ``(1) shall be used to develop, expand, and enhance 
        community and statewide evidence-informed family support 
        services; and
            ``(2) may be used to--
                    ``(A) build connections between family support 
                networks, including providing technical assistance 
                between family community organizations and peer support 
                networks, and with other family support services, 
                focused on enhancing knowledge of evidence-informed 
                interventions for family members and loved ones of 
                individuals living with substance use disorders and 
                reducing harm by educating service providers on current 
                evidence regarding substance use disorder and the 
                family, including--
                            ``(i) behavioral health providers, 
                        including such providers focused specifically 
                        on family and couples therapy in the context of 
                        substance use disorder;
                            ``(ii) primary care providers;
                            ``(iii) providers of foster care services 
                        or support services for grandparents, 
                        guardians, and other extended family impacted 
                        by substance use disorder; and
                            ``(iv) other family support services that 
                        connect to community resources for individuals 
                        with substance use disorders, including non-
                        clinical community services;
                    ``(B) reduce stigma associated with families that 
                include an individual with a substance use disorder by 
                improving knowledge about substance use disorder and 
                its treatment, providing compassionate support, and 
                dispelling myths that perpetuate such stigma;
                    ``(C) conduct outreach on issues relating to 
                substance use disorders and family support, which may 
                include education, training, and resources with respect 
                to--
                            ``(i) building a resilience- and strengths-
                        based approach to prevention of, and living 
                        with, substance use disorder in the family;
                            ``(ii) identifying the signs of substance 
                        use disorder;
                            ``(iii) adopting an approach that minimizes 
                        harm to all family members; and
                            ``(iv) families that include an individual 
                        with a substance use disorder, including with 
                        respect to--
                                    ``(I) navigating the treatment and 
                                recovery systems;
                                    ``(II) paying for substance use 
                                disorder treatment;
                                    ``(III) education about substance 
                                use disorder; and
                                    ``(IV) avoiding predatory treatment 
                                programs; and
                    ``(D) connect families to evidence-informed peer 
                support programs.
    ``(e) Data Reporting and Program Oversight.--With respect to a 
grant awarded under subsection (a), not later than 90 days after the 
end of the first year of the grant period, and annually thereafter for 
the duration of the grant period, the entity shall submit data, as 
appropriate and to the extent practicable, to the Secretary regarding--
            ``(1) the programs and activities funded by the grant;
            ``(2) health outcomes of the population of individuals with 
        a substance use disorder who received services through programs 
        supported by the grant, as evaluated by an independent program 
        evaluator through the use of outcomes measures, as determined 
        by the Secretary; and
            ``(3) any other information that the secretary may require 
        for the purpose of ensuring that the grant recipient is 
        complying with all the requirements of the grant.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.''.
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