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SAFE in Recovery Act
3/14/2024, 2:26 AM
Summary of Bill S 3006
The bill aims to achieve this goal by requiring certain healthcare providers to obtain a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication commonly used in MAT. This waiver would allow these providers to treat a larger number of patients with buprenorphine, thus increasing access to this important treatment option.
Additionally, the SAFE in Recovery Act seeks to expand access to telehealth services for individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders. This would allow individuals to receive care from the comfort of their own homes, reducing barriers to treatment such as transportation and scheduling conflicts. Overall, the SAFE in Recovery Act is focused on improving access to evidence-based treatment options for individuals struggling with substance use disorders. By increasing access to MAT and expanding telehealth services, this bill has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of individuals seeking recovery from addiction.
Congressional Summary of S 3006
Substance Use Disorder and Family Engagement in Recovery Act or the SAFE in Recovery Act
This bill expands services available to families affected by substance use disorders (SUD) and implements protections for parents seeking SUD treatment.
Specifically, the bill requires health centers funded through the Community Health Center Fund (CHC Fund) to provide mental health and SUD treatment services, and provides funds to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement this change in FY2025. The bill also reauthorizes the CHC Fund through FY2028. Moreover, under the Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Demonstration Program, the bill permits HHS to provide increased per-beneficiary payments for beneficiaries receiving pregnancy or postpartum services.
As a condition of Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant funding, the bill restricts states from investigating and reporting pregnant and postpartum patients affected by SUD in specified instances. For example, the results of toxicology testing on patients taking prescription drugs (including drugs that treat SUD) in accordance with the recommendations of the prescribing doctor may not be the sole factor in a family separation determination. Further, states may not investigate a patient for child neglect or abuse, nor report them to a child protective services system, solely on account of their use of a prescription drug.
Finally, the bill establishes new federal efforts to study and fund care for families affected by SUD, including a consortium led by the National Institutes of Health to set research priorities related to SUD.
