I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5261 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 13, 2018 Mr. Johnson of Ohio (for himself and Mr. Tonko ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for regional centers of excellence in substance use disorder education, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Treatment, Education, and Community Help to Combat Addiction Act of 2018 or the TEACH to Combat Addiction Act of 2018 . 2. Establishment of Regional Centers of Excellence in Substance Use Disorder Education Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 549 ( 42 U.S.C. 290ee–4 ) the following new section: 550. Regional Centers of Excellence in Substance Use Disorder Education (a) In general The Secretary, in consultation with such other agencies as are appropriate, shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, establish a solicitation process and award cooperative agreements to eligible entities for the designation of such entities as Regional Centers of Excellence in Substance Use Disorder Education and support of such regional centers of excellence to enhance and improve how health professionals are educated in pain management and substance use disorder through development, evaluation, and distribution of evidence-based curriculum for health care professional schools. An eligible entity designated by the Secretary as a Regional Center of Excellence in Substance Use Disorder Education shall carry out the activities described in subsection (b). (b) Selection of centers of excellence (1) Eligible entities To be eligible to receive a cooperative agreement under subsection (a), an entity shall— (A) be an entity specified by the Secretary that offers education to students in various health professions, which may include— (i) a health system; (ii) a teaching hospital; (iii) a community health center; (iv) a physician’s office; (v) a medical school; or (vi) any other health professional school, school of public health, or Cooperative Extension Program at institutions of higher education engaged in an aspect of the prevention, treatment, or recovery of substance use disorders; (B) demonstrate an existing strategy, and have in place a plan for continuing such strategy, or a proposed strategy to implement a curriculum based on best practices for substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery; (C) demonstrate community engagement and participation through community partners, including mental health counselors, social workers, peer recovery specialists, substance use treatment programs, law enforcement, and the business community; and (D) provide to the Secretary such information, at such time, and in such manner, as the Secretary may require. (2) Diversity In awarding cooperative agreements under subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into account regional differences among eligible entities and shall make an effort to ensure geographic diversity. (c) Dissemination of information (1) Public posting The Secretary shall make information provided to the Secretary under subsection (b)(1)(D) publically available on the Internet website of the Department of Health and Human Services. (2) Evaluation The Secretary shall evaluate each project carried out by a Regional Center of Excellence in Substance Use Disorder Education under this section and shall disseminate the findings with respect to each such evaluation to appropriate public and private entities. (d) Funding There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023. . 3. Authorization of NIH Centers of Excellence in Pain Education Part C of title IV of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 409J ( 42 U.S.C. 284q ) the following new section: 409K. Centers of Excellence in Pain Education There is authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023 for the Centers of Excellence in Pain Education program conducted by the Director of NIH, through the Pain Consortium, under which such Centers of Excellence provide for coordination of the development, evaluation, and distribution of pain management curriculum for health professional schools to improve how health care professionals are taught about pain and its treatment. .