Public Health and Other Related Provisions in P.L 115-271, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act
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Public Health and Other Related Provisions in P.L 115-271, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act December 3, 2018 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R45423 SUMMARY R45423 Public Health and Other Related Provisions in December 3, 2018 P.L 115-271, the SUPPORT for Patients and Elayne J. Heisler, Communities Act Coordinator Specialist in Health On October 24, 2018, President Donald J. Trump signed into law H.R. 6, the Substance Services Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (P.L. 115-271; the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, or Johnathan H. Duff, the SUPPORT Act). Coordinator Analyst in Health Policy The SUPPORT Act is a sweeping measure designed to address widespread overprescribing and abuse of opioids in the United States. The act includes provisions For a copy of the full report, involving law enforcement, public health, and health care financing and coverage. please call 7-5700 or visit Broadly, the legislation imposes tighter oversight of opioid production and distribution; www.crs.gov. imposes additional reporting and safeguards to address fraud; and limits coverage of prescription opioids, while expanding coverage of and access to opioid addiction treatment services. The law also authorizes a number of programs that seek to expand consumer education on opioid use and train additional providers to treat individuals with opioid use disorders. The SUPPORT Act builds on recent efforts by the federal government to address the opioid epidemic, including the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (CARA; P.L. 114-198) and the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act; P.L. 114-255). CARA addressed substance use issues broadly, targeting the opioid crisis predominantly through public health and law enforcement strategies. The Cures Act, enacted that same year, largely focused on medical innovation, but it also authorized additional funding to combat opioid addiction and included provisions addressing various mental health and substance use activities. CRS is publishing a series of reports on the SUPPORT Act, which consists of eight titles. This report summarizes the provisions in Title VII and VIII of the SUPPORT Act. Title VII, Public Health Provisions, includes a number provisions that seek to improve the information collected about opioid abuse and increase access to treatment by supporting treatment programs and providers, among other things. Title VIII, Miscellaneous, includes, among others, provisions related to child welfare, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and drug testing required by the Department of Transportation (DOT). It also includes several revenue-related provisions and the budget effects of this act and also describes Section 4003, an offset included in Title IV related to individuals who seek a religious exemption from the requirement to maintain health insurance coverage. Congressional Research Service Public Health and Other Related Provisions in the SUPPORT Act Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Budgetary Impact ...................................................................................................................... 1 Related Prior Laws .................................................................................................................... 2 SUPPORT ACT Organization ................................................................................................... 2 Title VII – Public Health Provisions ............................................................................................... 6 Subtitle A: Awareness and Training .......................................................................................... 6 Section 7001: Report on Effects on Public Health of Synthetic Drug Use ......................... 6 Section 7002: First Responder Training ............................................................................. 7 Subtitle B: Pilot Program for Public Health Laboratories to Detect Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids ........................................................................................................ 7 Section 7011: Pilot Program for Public Health Laboratories to Detect Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids ............................................................................................ 7 Subtitle C: Indexing Narcotics, Fentanyl, and Opioids ............................................................ 8 Section 7021: Establishment of Substance Use Disorder Information Dashboard ............. 8 Section 7022: Interdepartmental Substance Use Disorders Coordinating Committee ........................................................................................................................ 9 Section 7023: National Milestones to Measure Success in Curtailing the Opioid Crisis .............................................................................................................................. 10 Section 7024: Study on Prescribing Limits........................................................................ 11 Subtitle D: Ensuring Access to Quality Sober Living .............................................................. 11 Section 7031: National Recovery Housing Best Practices ................................................ 11 Subtitle E: Advancing Cutting Edge Research ........................................................................ 12 Section 7041: Unique Research Initiatives ....................................................................... 12 Section 7042: Pain Research ............................................................................................. 13 Subtitle F: Jessie’s Law ........................................................................................................... 14 Section 7051: Inclusion of Opioid Addiction History in Patient Records ........................ 14 Section 7052: Communication with Families during Emergencies .................................. 14 Section 7053: Development and Dissemination of Model Training Programs for Substance Use Disorder Patient Records ....................................................................... 15 Subtitle G: Protecting Pregnant Women and Infants ............................................................... 16 Section 7061: Report on Addressing Maternal and Infant Health in the Opioid Crisis .............................................................................................................................. 16 Section 7062: Protecting Moms and Infants ..................................................................... 16 Section 7063: Early Interventions for Pregnant Women and Infants ................................ 18 Section 7064: Prenatal and Postnatal Health .................................................................... 18 Section 7065: Plans of Safe Care ...................................................................................... 19 Section 7065(b): [Repeal of the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act] ............................... 20 Background ....................................................................................................................... 20 Subtitle H: Substance Use Disorder Treatment Workforce ..................................................... 21 Section 7071: Loan Repayment Program for Substance Use Disorder Treatment Workforce ...................................................................................................................... 21 Section 7072: Clarification Regarding Service in Schools and Other Community- Based Settings ................................................................................................................ 22 Section 7073: Programs for Health Care Workforce ........................................................ 22 Subtitle I: Preventing Overdoses While in Emergency Rooms ............................................... 23 Section 7081: Program to Support Coordination and Continuation of Care for Drug Overdose Patients ................................................................................................. 23 Congressional Research Service Public Health and Other Related Provisions in the SUPPORT Act Subtitle J: Alternatives to Opioids in the Emergency Department .......................................... 24 Section 7091: Emergency Department Alternatives to Opioids Demonstration Program.......................................................................................................................... 24 Subtitle K: Treatment, Education, and Community Help to Combat Addiction ..................... 25 Section 7101: Establishment of Regional Centers of Excellence in Substance Use Disorder Education ........................................................................................................ 25 Section 7102: Youth Prevention and Recovery ................................................................. 25 Subtitle L: Information from National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory ............................................................................................................................ 26 Section 7111: Information from National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory .......................................................................................................... 26 Subtitle M: Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers