Title: CARE Act
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
Collectively Achieving Recovery and Employment Act of 2018 or the CARE Act
This bill directs the Department of Labor, in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services, to establish a pilot program to award grants during FY2019-FY2024 to counties (or other equivalent entities) and tribal entities to administer combined workforce training and drug addiction treatment and recovery programs.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2646 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2646

To establish a pilot program administered by the Secretary of Labor, in 
collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to award 
   competitive grants to counties (or other equivalent entities) and 
  Tribal entities to administer combined workforce training and drug 
   addiction treatment and recovery programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 11, 2018

Mr. Brown (for himself and Mrs. Capito) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a pilot program administered by the Secretary of Labor, in 
collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to award 
   competitive grants to counties (or other equivalent entities) and 
  Tribal entities to administer combined workforce training and drug 
   addiction treatment and recovery programs, 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 ``Collectively Achieving Recovery and 
Employment Act of 2018'' or the ``CARE Act''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR COMBINED WORKFORCE TRAINING AND DRUG 
              ADDICTION TREATMENT AND RECOVERY.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means a 
        county (or other equivalent entity as determined by the 
        Secretary) or a Tribal entity.
            (2) Eligible drug addiction treatment participant.--The 
        term ``eligible drug addiction treatment participant'' means a 
        nonprofit or public health care entity that meets the 
        requirements under subsection (d).
            (3) Eligible workforce training participant.--The term 
        ``eligible workforce training participant'' means a nonprofit 
        or public workforce training entity that meets the requirements 
        under subsection (e).
            (4) Full range of drug addiction treatment and recovery 
        services.--The term ``full range of drug addiction treatment 
        and recovery services'' includes--
                    (A) providing medication-assisted treatment to 
                treat addiction involving opioids, including--
                            (i) not less than 1 opioid antagonist 
                        medication approved by the Food and Drug 
                        Administration; and
                            (ii) not less than 1 opioid agonist (or 
                        partial agonist) medication approved by the 
                        Food and Drug Administration;
                    (B) providing counseling with respect to such 
                treatment, which shall include discussing with patients 
                the risks of, benefits of, and alternatives to such 
                treatment;
                    (C) recovery support services, including peer 
                recovery support services; and
                    (D) referral services and case management programs.
            (5) Local board.--The term ``local board'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (6) Secretary.--Except as otherwise provided, the term 
        ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Labor, in collaboration 
        with the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance 
        Use of the Department of Health and Human Services.
            (7) Tribal entity.--The term ``Tribal entity'' includes 
        Indian tribes, Tribal organizations, Alaska Native entities, 
        Indian-controlled organizations serving Indians, and Native 
        Hawaiian organizations, within the meaning of such terms in 
        section 166 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
        U.S.C. 3221).
    (b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a pilot program 
to award competitive grants during each of fiscal years 2019 through 
2024 to covered entities to administer combined workforce training and 
drug addiction treatment and recovery programs.
    (c) Applications.--
            (1) In general.--A covered entity desiring a grant under 
        this section shall submit an application to the Secretary in 
        such form, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Secretary may reasonably require.
            (2) Partnership.--
                    (A) In general.--Each application shall, in 
                addition to the contents required under paragraph (3), 
                demonstrate that the covered entity will partner with--
                            (i) at least one eligible drug addiction 
                        treatment participant that meets the 
                        requirements under subsection (d), to provide 
                        drug addiction treatment services for 
                        individuals through the workforce training and 
                        drug addiction treatment and recovery program; 
                        and
                            (ii) at least one eligible workforce 
                        training participant that meets the 
                        requirements under subsection (e), which shall 
                        include at least one local board, to provide 
                        training services for individuals through such 
                        program.
                    (B) Fiscal agent.--The covered entity shall, for 
                purposes of carrying out the grant, serve as the fiscal 
                agent of the partnership described in subparagraph (A).
            (3) Contents.--In order to be selected for a grant under 
        this section, an application submitted under this subsection 
        shall--
                    (A) identify any eligible drug addiction treatment 
                participant that is partnering with the covered entity 
                as described in paragraph (2)(A)(i);
                    (B) identify any eligible workforce training 
                participant, including at least one local board, that 
                is partnering with the covered entity as described in 
                paragraph (2)(A)(ii); and
                    (C) provide a detailed description of the services 
                under subsection (f) that will be provided under the 
                workforce training and drug addiction treatment and 
                recovery program to individuals with varying drug 
                addictions and varying workforce skills, and 
                demonstrate that the applicant, and any partners 
                identified under subparagraphs (A) and (B), will use 
                the grant to provide such services.
    (d) Eligible Drug Addiction Treatment Participants.--
            (1) In general.--To meet the requirements under this 
        subsection to be an eligible drug addiction treatment 
        participant, an entity shall be a nonprofit or public health 
        care entity and--
                    (A) comply with all licensing and certification 
                requirements of the State department of health;
                    (B) demonstrate that it has strong community 
                partnerships, including a partnership with State and 
                local public health authorities;
                    (C) subject to paragraph (2)--
                            (i) provide the full range of drug 
                        addiction treatment and recovery services;
                            (ii) demonstrate the ability to provide 
                        such services on an ongoing basis, including 
                        after the workforce training has started; and
                            (iii) demonstrate the ability to provide 
                        such services concurrent with job training 
                        services; and
                    (D) accept health insurance for such services, 
                including coverage under title XIX of the Social 
                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), and have 
                established policies to ensure nondiscrimination based 
                on the ability of a patient to pay.
            (2) Contracting providers.--An eligible drug addiction 
        treatment participant may contract with or refer to another 
        health care provider (or health care providers) to meet the 
        requirements under paragraph (1)(C) if such provider (or 
        providers) is a nonprofit or public health care entity that 
        meets the requirements described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and 
        (D) of paragraph (1).
    (e) Eligible Workforce Training Participants.--To meet the 
requirements under this subsection to be an eligible workforce training 
participant, a nonprofit or public workforce training entity shall--
            (1) demonstrate that it has a relationship with employers 
        in the area and has provided training that reflects the skill 
        needs of such employers;
            (2) have experience providing workforce training for 
        individuals of all workforce skill levels;
            (3) if such entity is not a local board, demonstrate that 
        it has a relationship with a local board included in the 
        partnership under subsection (c)(2)(A)(ii); and
            (4) demonstrate the ability to provide ongoing workforce 
        training concurrent with drug addiction treatment.
    (f) Permissible Uses of Funds.--A covered entity that receives a 
grant under this section shall use the grant funds for one or more of 
the following:
            (1) Drug addiction treatment services identified by the 
        American Society of Addiction Medicine as best practices, 
        including health (including mental health) services, drug 
        addiction and recovery services, or any other forms of 
        outpatient treatment that may impact addiction and related, 
        underlying, or complicating conditions.
            (2) Services to provide drug referrals to other providers 
        of relevant health care services that are not provided through 
        the drug addiction treatment and recovery program.
            (3) Career services that provide workers with a range of 
        services, including training and job placement assistant, 
        including soft skills training, in-depth interviewing practice 
        and evaluation, and career planning, job coaching, and job 
        matching services.
            (4) Providing ongoing job training services that are 
        concurrent with drug addiction treatment services, including 
        work-based training strategies, traditional classroom training, 
        and services to connect employers and workers on-the-job or 
        customized training programs and apprenticeships.
            (5) Payments and fees for employment and training-related 
        applications, tests, and certifications.
            (6) Linkages to community services, including services 
        offered by organizations partnering with the covered entity 
        that are designed to support individuals participating in the 
        workforce training and drug addiction treatment and recovery 
        program.
            (7) Individual wraparound services to provide maximum 
        support for such individuals.
            (8) Individual case management services for such 
        individuals, including--
                    (A) assessing the extent to which services provided 
                through the drug addiction treatment and recovery 
                program are appropriate for the individual;
                    (B) ensuring that any services provided through 
                such program are provided in a coordinated manner; and
                    (C) assistance in establishing eligibility for 
                assistance under Federal, State, or local programs 
                providing health services (including mental health 
                services), housing services, employment services, 
                educational services, transportation services, or 
                social services.
    (g) Grant Period.--Each grant awarded under this section shall be 
for a period of 3 years. Any funds awarded through such grant that are 
not expended by the end of the grant period shall be returned to the 
fund established under subsection (h).
    (h) Funding.--
            (1) Fund.--There is established in the Treasury a fund, 
        consisting of the amounts transferred under paragraph (2) and 
        any unused funds returned to the fund under subsection (g), to 
        be used, without further appropriation, by the Secretary to 
        carry out the pilot program under this section.
            (2) Transfers.--
                    (A) Workforce development funds.--
                            (i) Amount.--Out of any unobligated amounts 
                        made available for the programs described in 
                        clause (ii), the Secretary of Labor shall, not 
                        later than 30 days after the date of enactment 
                        of this Act, transfer $50,000,000 to the fund 
                        established under paragraph (1).
                            (ii) Programs.--The programs described in 
                        this clause are each of the following:
                                    (I) The reentry employment 
                                opportunities program under section 169 
                                of the Workforce Innovation and 
                                Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3224).
                                    (II) The national dislocated worker 
                                grants under section 170 of such Act 
                                (29 U.S.C. 3225).
                    (B) Substance abuse and mental health services 
                administration funds.--Out of any unobligated amounts 
                made available for the programs authorized under 
                section 509 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
                290bb-2), the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
                shall, not later than 30 days after the date of 
                enactment of this Act, transfer $50,000,000 to the fund 
                established under paragraph (1).
            (3) Availability.--Amounts transferred under paragraph (2) 
        to the fund shall remain available for the Secretary to make 
        grants under this section through September 30, 2024. Any 
        amounts remaining in the fund, or returned under subsection (g) 
        to the fund, after such date shall be returned to the general 
        fund of the Treasury.
    (i) Reporting.--The Secretary shall establish reporting 
requirements for covered entities receiving grants under this section 
to report to the Secretary on how such entities used their grant funds. 
Such requirements shall include reporting on--
            (1) the percentage of such funds used for addiction 
        treatment and recovery and the percentage of such funds used 
        for workforce training; and
            (2) outcomes resulting from the use of the grant funds, 
        including data on job placement, retention, and addiction 
        recovery.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT.

    Section 134(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
U.S.C. 3174(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Workforce training and drug addiction treatment and 
        recovery program.--Funds allocated to a local area for adults 
        under paragraph (2)(A) or (3), as appropriate, of section 
        133(b), and funds allocated to the local area for dislocated 
        workers under section 133(b)(2)(B), may be used to carry out a 
        workforce training and drug addiction treatment and recovery 
        program under section 2 of the Collectively Achieving Recovery 
        and Employment Act of 2018 if the local board is participating 
        in the program under that section.''.
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