Title: National Milestones to Measure Progress in Ending the Opioid Epidemic Act of 2018
Policy area: Health

Summary:
National Milestones to Measure Progress in Ending the Opioid Epidemic Act of 2018
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop national milestones to measure progress in reducing the opioid epidemic over a five-year period based on certain metrics, such as opioid-related overdoses, emergency room visits, and treatment admissions. HHS must submit annual reports and status updates, including evaluations of federal programs that are intended to address the opioid epidemic.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2931 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2931

  To develop national milestones to measure success in curtailing the 
                            opioid epidemic.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 23, 2018

Mr. Markey (for himself, Ms. Murkowski, and Ms. Hassan) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To develop national milestones to measure success in curtailing the 
                            opioid epidemic.

    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 ``National Milestones to Measure 
Progress in Ending the Opioid Epidemic Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL MILESTONES TO MEASURE SUCCESS IN CURTAILING THE OPIOID 
              EPIDEMIC.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary''), in consultation with 
the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the 
Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, shall develop 
national indicators to measure success in curtailing the opioid 
epidemic, with the goal of significantly reversing the toll of opioid 
misuse and opioid-related morbidity and mortality in the United States 
within 5 years of such date of enactment (referred to in this section 
as the ``national milestones'').
    (b) National Milestones To End the Opioid Epidemic.--The national 
milestones under subsection (a) shall include the following:
            (1) The establishment of not fewer than 10 indicators or 
        metrics to accurately and expediently measure progress in 
        meeting the goal described in subsection (a)(1), which shall 
        include--
                    (A) a reduction in fatal and non-fatal opioid 
                overdoses;
                    (B) a reduction in emergency room visits related to 
                opioid misuse and abuse;
                    (C) an increase in public and provider education, 
                including a focus on reducing stigma associated with 
                opioid use disorder;
                    (D) an increase in the number of individuals in 
                sustained recovery from opioid use disorder;
                    (E) a reduction in the number of co-infections 
                associated with injection drug use, such as HIV, viral 
                hepatitis, and endocarditis, and an expanded capacity 
                to reduce initial infections and enhance access to 
                treatment;
                    (F) an increase in the number of providers 
                prescribing medically assisted treatment for opioid use 
                disorder in different settings, including primary care, 
                community health centers, jails, and prisons;
                    (G) an increase in the number of harm reduction 
                organizations, including syringe services programs and 
                naloxone distribution programs;
                    (H) an increase in the number of individuals 
                admitted to opioid use disorder treatment; and
                    (I) additional indicators or metrics, such as 
                metrics pertaining to specific populations, including 
                women and children, American Indians and Alaskan 
                Natives, individuals living in rural and non-urban 
                areas, and justice-involved populations, that would 
                further clarify the progress made in addressing the 
                opioid misuse and abuse epidemic, as the Secretary 
                determines appropriate.
            (2) A reasonable goal, such as a percentage decrease or 
        other specified metric, that signifies progress in meeting the 
        goal described in subsection (a), and annual targets to help 
        achieve that goal.
    (c) Extension of Period.--If the Secretary determines that the goal 
described in subsection (a) will not be achieved with respect to any 
indicator or metric established under subsection (b)(2) within 5 years 
of the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary may extend the 
timeline for meeting such goal with respect to that indicator or 
metric. The Secretary shall include with any such extension a rationale 
for why additional time is needed and a description of changes the 
Secretary will make in order to achieve such goal with respect to the 
indicator or metric.
    (d) Reports.--During the 5-year period described in subsection (a) 
or such extended period as the Secretary may determine under subsection 
(c), the Secretary shall--
            (1) submit to Congress annual reports on the national 
        milestones; and
            (2) make each such report publicly available.
    (e) Annual Status Update.--Beginning one year after submission of 
the report under subsection (d) and for each year thereafter that a 
report is required under such subsection, the Secretary shall provide 
an update to Congress on the progress of Federal agencies in achieving 
the goals detailed in the national milestones. Each such update shall 
include--
            (1) the total Federal investment in programs addressing the 
        opioid epidemic and the amount invested in each program, both 
        by fiscal year and, for programs created after fiscal year 
        2015, the total spent since the program's creation;
            (2) an evaluation of the most and least effective Federal 
        programs intended to respond to the opioid crisis;
            (3) the progress made in the first year or since the 
        previous report, as applicable, in meeting each indicator or 
        metric in the national milestones; and
            (4) the Secretary's proposal for meeting each specified 
        indicator or metric in the proceeding year.
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