A bill to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to improve access to grants and loans for evidence-based substance use disorder treatment services in rural areas, and for other purposes.

Bill: 115-s-1678
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Donnelly, Joe [D-IN]
Introduced: 2017-07-31
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit

Drug trafficking and controlled substances

Drug, alcohol, tobacco use

Government lending and loan guarantees

Health programs administration and funding

Health promotion and preventive care

Health technology, devices, supplies

Rural conditions and development
Latest action: action_date: 2017-07-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-07-31
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, with respect to the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prioritize loans and grants for substance use disorder treatment services.</p> <p>(Under current law, the program provides funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas.) The bill requires USDA to prioritize grants and loans for entities: (1) to develop facilities to provide substance use disorder (including opioid substance use disorder) prevention, treatment, or recovery services; and (2) that employ staff with appropriate expertise and training to identify and treat individuals with substance use disorders. </p> <p>An entity that receives funds pursuant to this bill may use the funds for the development of telemedicine facilities and systems to provide telemedicine for substance use disorder treatment. </p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1678 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 31, 2017 Mr. Donnelly (for himself and Mr. Roberts ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to improve access to grants and loans for evidence-based substance use disorder treatment services in rural areas, and for other purposes.

1. Community facilities direct loans and grants Section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1926(a) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (27) Direct loans and grants for substance use disorder treatment services (A) Selection priority In selecting recipients of loans or grants (not including loans guaranteed by the Secretary) for the development of essential community facilities under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to entities eligible for those loans or grants— (i) to develop facilities to provide substance use disorder (including opioid substance use disorder)— (I) prevention services; (II) treatment services; (III) recovery services; or (IV) any combination of those services; and (ii) that employ staff that have appropriate expertise and training in how to identify and treat individuals with substance use disorders. (B) Use of funds An eligible entity described in subparagraph (A) that receives a loan or grant described in that subparagraph may use the loan or grant funds for the development of telemedicine facilities and systems to provide telemedicine for substance use disorder treatment. .