S.Amdt. 2895

SA 2895. Ms. AYOTTE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 2874 proposed by Mr. McConnell to the bill H.R. 3762, to
provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 2002 of the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016; which was ordered to lie
on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. ___. SUPPORT FOR STATE RESPONSE TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE
PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AND URGENT MENTAL HEALTH
NEEDS.

(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated,
and are appropriated, out of monies in the Treasury not
otherwise obligated, $750,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2016 and 2017, to the Secretary of Health and Human Services
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') to award
grants to States to address the substance abuse public health
crisis or to respond to urgent mental health needs within the
State. In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary
may give preference to States with an incidence or prevalence
of substance use disorders that is substantial relative to
other States or to States that identify mental health needs
within their communities that are urgent relative to such
needs of other States. Funds

[[Page S8390]]

appropriated under this subsection shall remain available
until expended.
(b) Use of Funds.--Grants awarded to a State under
subsection (a) shall be used for one or more of the following
public health-related activities:
(1) Improving State prescription drug monitoring programs.
(2) Implementing prevention activities, and evaluating such
activities to identify effective strategies to prevent
substance abuse.
(3) Training for health care practitioners, such as best
practices for prescribing opioids, pain management,
recognizing potential cases of substance abuse, referral of
patients to treatment programs, and overdose prevention.
(4) Supporting access to health care services provided by
federally certified opioid treatment programs or other
appropriate health care providers to treat substance use
disorders or mental health needs.
(5) Supporting initiatives designed to help individuals
with a substance use disorder achieve and sustain recovery.
(6) Other public health-related activities, as the State
determines appropriate, related to addressing the substance
abuse public health crisis or responding to urgent mental
health needs within the State.
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