Opioid ECHO Act

Bill: 115-s-2606
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2018-03-22
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Drug therapy

Drug trafficking and controlled substances

Drug, alcohol, tobacco use

Education programs funding

Educational technology and distance education

Health programs administration and funding

Medical education
Latest action: action_date: 2018-03-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-03-22
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Opioid ECHO Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to train health professionals to treat opioid addiction and other substance abuse disorders, including by providing medication-assisted treatment, through the use of technology-enabled models. (Technology-enabled models are distance health education models that connect specialists with other health professionals through interactive videoconferencing to facilitate case-based learning, disseminate best practices, and evaluate outcomes.)</p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2606 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 22, 2018 Mr. Schatz (for himself, Mrs. Capito , and Mr. Udall ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for training health professionals to treat opioid addiction and other substance use disorders through using technology-enabled models, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Opioid ECHO Act . 2. Grants to train health professionals to treat opioid addiction (a) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities for the purpose of training health professionals to treat opioid addiction and other substance use disorders, including by providing medication-assisted treatment, through the use of technology-enabled models. (b) Duration Each grant awarded under this section shall be for a period of 3 years. (c) Definitions For purposes of this section: (1) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means a nonprofit organization, an academic institution, a State, a Federally qualified health center as defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa) ), or other entity determined appropriate by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (2) Technology-enabled model The term technology-enabled model means a technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building model, as defined in section 2 of the Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes Act ( Public Law 114–270 ; 130 Stat. 1395). (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through 2020.