Title: Helping Americans Seek Treatment Act of 2018
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Helping Americans Seek Treatment Act of 2018
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to conduct a national public awareness campaign regarding its substance abuse treatment referral routing programs. SAMHSA must incorporate into its programs and services information about pre-arrest referral programs, which allow an individual with a substance use disorder to seek assistance from a law enforcement agency without being subject to criminal penalties related to the individual's possession and use of controlled substances.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4769 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4769

To amend the Public Health Service Act to increase awareness about the 
 treatment referral routing service of the Substance Abuse and Mental 
        Health Services Administration, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 11, 2018

 Mr. Marino (for himself and Ms. Bass) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to increase awareness about the 
 treatment referral routing service of the Substance Abuse and Mental 
        Health Services Administration, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Helping Americans Seek Treatment Act 
of 2018''.

SEC. 2. TREATMENT REFERRAL SERVICES OF THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL 
              HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Increasing Awareness About Treatment Referral Service.--Section 
501(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa(d)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (24)(E), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (25), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(26) conduct a national public awareness campaign to 
        increase awareness about the treatment referral routing service 
        of the Administration, including the toll-free telephone number 
        for accessing such service and the types of information 
        provided through such service to address substance use 
        disorders.''.
    (b) Pre-Arrest Referral Programs.--Part A of title V of the Public 
Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 506A of such 
Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa-5a) the following:

``SEC. 506B. PRE-ARREST REFERRAL PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH 
              SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall incorporate into the 
programs and services of the Administration, including the treatment 
referral routing service of the Administration, information on pre-
arrest referral programs.
    ``(b) Pre-Arrest Referral Program Defined.--The term `pre-arrest 
referral program' means a program operated by a local law enforcement 
agency which permits individuals with substance use disorders to seek 
assistance at the law enforcement agency and provides assurances to 
such individuals that they will not be subject to criminal penalties 
related to such individual's possession and use of controlled 
substances, and which may include--
            ``(1) the provision of information related to treatment 
        centers for individuals with substance use disorders, including 
        such centers which provide financial assistance to individuals 
        who are not covered by a health insurance policy;
            ``(2) case management and follow-up support provided by law 
        enforcement officers to individuals who participate in the 
        program; and
            ``(3) outreach to educate individuals with substance use 
        disorders and their families about resources and treatments 
        options.''.
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