Title: Opioid Peer Support Networks Act of 2018
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Opioid Peer Support Networks Act of 2018
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to eligible community organizations for substance-use-disorder treatment and recovery efforts. HHS also must establish the National Peer Run Training and Technical Assistance Center for Addiction Recovery Support to assist substance-use peer-support networks.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2657 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2657

To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant 
    program to create peer support recovery networks, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 12, 2018

  Ms. Collins (for herself and Mrs. Shaheen) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant 
    program to create peer support recovery networks, 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 ``Opioid Peer Support Networks Act of 
2018''.

SEC. 2. OPIOID PEER SUPPORT NETWORKS.

    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. 550. OPIOID PEER SUPPORT NETWORKS.

    ``(a) Definition.--In this section, the term `peer support network' 
means a group of two or more independent nonprofit organizations--
            ``(1) that mobilizes resources within and outside of the 
        network to increase the prevalence and quality of long-term 
        recovery from substance use disorders; and
            ``(2) for which at least one organization is wholly or 
        principally governed by `peers' (individuals in recovery for 
        substance use disorders who reflect the community served).
    ``(b) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary shall award grants for up 
to 3 years to eligible recovery community organizations to enable such 
organizations to develop, expand, and enhance recovery services.
    ``(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section an entity shall--
            ``(1) be a recovery community organization; and
            ``(2) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
        in such manner, and containing such information as the 
        Secretary may require.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--Amounts awarded under grants under subsection 
(b)--
            ``(1) shall be used to develop, expand, and enhance non-
        clinical community and statewide recovery support services; and
            ``(2) may be used to--
                    ``(A) build connections between peer support 
                networks, between recovery community organizations, and 
                with other recovery support services, including--
                            ``(i) behavioral health providers;
                            ``(ii) primary care providers and 
                        physicians;
                            ``(iii) educational and vocational schools;
                            ``(iv) employers;
                            ``(v) housing services;
                            ``(vi) child welfare agencies;
                            ``(vii) the criminal justice system; and
                            ``(viii) other recovery support services 
                        that facilitate recovery from substance use 
                        disorders; and
                    ``(B) conduct outreach on issues relating to 
                substance use disorders and recovery, including--
                            ``(i) identifying the signs of addiction;
                            ``(ii) identifying the resources available 
                        to individuals struggling with addiction and to 
                        families with a family member struggling with, 
                        or being treated for, addiction, including 
                        programs that mentor and provide support 
                        services to children;
                            ``(iii) identifying the resources available 
                        to help support individuals in recovery;
                            ``(iv) identifying related medical outcomes 
                        of substance use disorders, the potential of 
                        acquiring an infectious disease from 
                        intravenous drug use, and neonatal abstinence 
                        syndrome among infants exposed to opioids 
                        during pregnancy;
                            ``(v) identifying resources available to 
                        reduce the stigma associated with substance use 
                        disorders; and
                            ``(vi) educating and reinforcing the best 
                        practices in the delivery of recovery support 
                        services.
    ``(e) Geographic Distribution.--In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 50 percent of 
funds are awarded to eligible entities that are not located in 
metropolitan statistical areas (as defined by the Office of Management 
and Budget). The Secretary shall take into account the unique needs of 
rural communities, including communities with a per capita overdose 
mortality rate that is above the national average and communities with 
a shortage of prevention and treatment services.
    ``(f) Technical Assistance Center.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary, jointly with the 
        Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, 
        through a grant shall establish a National Peer Run Training 
        and Technical Assistance Center for Addiction Recovery Support 
        (referred to in this subsection as the `Center').
            ``(2) Functions.--The Center established under paragraph 
        (1) shall provide support to the peer support networks 
        established under this section including--
                    ``(A) training;
                    ``(B) technical assistance;
                    ``(C) evaluations;
                    ``(D) research;
                    ``(E) translation services;
                    ``(F) capacity building products; and
                    ``(G) assistance in navigating the grant 
                application and renewal process under subsection (b).
            ``(3) Best practices.--The Center established under 
        paragraph (1) shall annually issue best practices for use by 
        peer support networks.
    ``(g) Data Reporting.--Grant recipients under subsection (b) shall 
annually submit data to the Secretary including--
            ``(1) a description of the programs and activities funded 
        under the grant;
            ``(2) a description of the outcomes of individuals who 
        received services through the programs funded under the grant, 
        including in housing, employment, health, and wellness; and
            ``(3) other information requested by the Secretary.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2019 through 2022, of which $15,000,000 for each fiscal year 
shall be allocated for the Peer Support Networks under subsection (b) 
and $10,000,000 for each fiscal year shall be allocated for the 
National Peer Run Training and Technical Assistance Center for 
Addiction Recovery Support established under subsection (f).
    ``(i) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after awarding 
the first grant under this section, and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the activities 
carried out under this section and containing an evaluation of such 
programs, including outstanding challenges and barriers to substance 
use recovery, and gaps in peer recovery support services.''.
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