U.S. Congressional Update: May 2022

On May 18, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce—the key House Committee in Congress with jurisdiction over mental health and substance use disorder treatment programs—advanced H.R. 7666, the Restoring Hope for Mental Health, and Well-Being Act of 2022. If enacted, this bipartisan legislation would reauthorize many existing programs that are due to expire by the end of the fiscal year, establish a host of new initiatives, and direct significant federal resources to states to support prevention, treatment, and recovery programs. Key provisions in the bill include:

  • Reauthorization of SAMHSA’s Community Mental Health Services (CMHS) and the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services Block grant programs.
  • Reauthorization of HRSA’s Screening and Treatment for Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder grant program and the establishment of a maternal mental health hotline.
  • Elimination of the requirement that an individual be addicted to opioids for at least one year prior to being admitted for treatment by an opioid treatment program.
  • $10 million in grants to states for the implementation of mental health and substance use disorder service parity.
  • The elimination of federal approval requirements for the administration of certain medication assisted treatment. (Seethe Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act of 2021 – H.R. 1384) as well as the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act of 2021 – H.R. 2067).
  • Grants to develop, expand, and enhance access to peer-delivered mental health services.
  • Authorizes $5 million for the period of FY 2023 through 2027 for SAMHSA to develop best practices and promote the availability of high-quality recovery housing.

The full committee’s bipartisan vote of 55-0 for H.R. 7666 allows the measures to proceed to the floor of the House of Representatives for consideration where it is expected to pass with bipartisan support. The US. Senate can soon deliberate and adopt this measure or develop its own version of legislation before reaching a compromise and enacting a bill to reauthorize these critical programs.