NAADAC Advocacy Updates & Action Alerts

The Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that includes all 12 annual appropriations spending bills as well as a plethora of other important policy priorities was signed into law on December 29, 2022. Below is an initial summary of select provisions important to NAADAC and our members from the more than 4000 pages of the bill. A complete copy of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 can be accessed here (full text) as well as a copy of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Educ... Read More

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, urges House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Charles Schumer, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to include several key policy priorities in any end-of-year legislative package. These provisions, highlighted below, are crucial for NAADAC’s work to create healthier individuals, families, and communities through prevention, intervention, quality treatment, and recovery support. Congress can help en... Read More

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote as early as this week on the Marijuana Opportunity and Reinvestment Expungement (MORE) Act H.R. 3617. While this legislation appropriately decriminalizes cannabis, expunging the record of low-level offenders, as drafted it would also fully legalize and commercialize cannabis. While NAADAC supports the decriminalization of cannabis, it does not support the use of cannabis for medicinal (until further research is completed) or recreationa... Read More

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the addiction epidemic in our country and contributed to a nearly 30 percent increase in the number of overdose deaths in the past year. Substance use disorders impact both the individual and the family, and evidence shows that when families are involved in their loved one’s treatment and recovery, outcomes improve for everyone involved. During our Advocacy in Action Conference & Virtual Hill Day in April 2021, NAADAC members met with lawm... Read More

On Thursday, July 15, the House Appropriations Committee passed the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education, and Related Agencies funding bill. The full House of Representatives is expected to vote on funding bills the week of July 26. Additional information on the bill is available here. [UPDATE 8/2/2021: The House of Representative voted to pass the bill on July 29, 2021. A press release about the passage can be found here.] Since the beginning of the COVID-... Read More

On Friday, May 28, the White House released President Biden’s complete fiscal year (FY) 2022 budget request. While Presidential budgets are non-binding and do not carry the force of law, it does provide the first in-depth glimpse of the Biden Administration’s top spending priorities for the new federal fiscal year that begins on October 1st. The $6 trillion proposal increases federal health program spending by 23 percent over current funding levels. The Health and Human Services (... Read More

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress has passed a series of relief bills that have provided billions of dollars in emergency funding for substance use and mental health programs. On May 18, 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the allocation of an additional $1.5 billion in emergency funding for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant for states and territories. These funds were made available by Congr... Read More

On Wednesday, May 12, the House of Representatives passed a number of mental health, addiction, and suicide-prevention bills. During our Advocacy in Action Conference & Virtual Hill Day last month, NAADAC members met with lawmakers to build support for increasing funding for family support programs.  We told lawmakers that the addiction crisis affects more than just the individual; it affects the family system and community. We are excited that the House of Representatives listened ... Read More

On April 30, 2021, Representatives Dave Joyce (R-OH), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Bill Johnson (R-OH), David Trone (D-MD), and Paul Tonko (D-NY) introduced a resolution that helps recognize the contributions of the addiction workforce.   Contact your Representative TODAY to ask them to cosponsor the resolution acknowledging the contributions of America’s addiction professionals and their commitment to delivering evidence-based practice to individuals with substance use disorders through reco... Read More

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, is honored to recognize U.S. Representative David Trone (D-MD) as its 2020 Harold Hughes Award Recipient for his demonstrated commitment to addiction professionals and the clients they serve.  The Sen. Harold E. Hughes Advocate of the Year Award was named after Harold E. Hughes, an Iowa governor, United States senator, and lifelong advocate for addiction treatment, research, and recovery. This award is presented in recognition of outs... Read More

Yesterday, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) released a statement outlining year one priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration. NAADAC Executive Director Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, BSW, NCAC II, CDC III, SAP, attended a call that day to learn the scope of the seven priorities identified. The following priorities range from expanding evidence-based approaches in prevention, treatment, recovery support, and harm reduction services, racial equity, reducing the supply of illicit s... Read More

On Thursday, March 11, President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act into law. The American Rescue Plan Act builds on the relief bills passed by Congress in 2020 and represents the first major piece of legislation passed in the 117th Congress.   This week also marks the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic’s public health mitigation efforts that have exacerbated the opioid and substance use epidemics. NAADAC and substance use disorder and mental he... Read More

NAADAC is proud to endorse the Barriers To Suicide Act. This bipartisan legislation was re-introduced to the 117th Congress by U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and John Katko (R-NY), the co-chairs of the House Suicide Prevention Task Force, and Grace Napolitano (D-CA), founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus in late January 2021. Suicide ranks as the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and substance use disorders (SUDs) are associated with an increa... Read More

With the 116th Congress drawing to a close, lawmakers passed a comprehensive government spending package this week that also provides roughly $900 billion in COVID-19 stimulus funds. The federal government is currently operating on a seven-day continuing resolution to allow time for the 5,600 page bill to be enrolled and sent to the President for consideration. However, the President has expressed concern with several provisions in the bill and requested that Congress make changes that could ... Read More

After delaying a vote before the election, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote as soon as tomorrow (Thursday, Dec. 3rd) on the Marijuana Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act (H.R. 3884). While this legislation is being promoted as a social justice bill - aimed at decriminalizing marijuana and expunging the record of low level offenders, as drafted it would also fully legalize and commercialize marijuana. While NAADAC supports the decriminalization of marijuana,... Read More

With the 2020 presidential election in the rearview mirror, lawmakers are returning to Washington, DC, for the lame duck session of the 116th Congress. There are a number of outstanding issues that require Congress’ attention before the end of the year, including negotiating a COVID-19 relief package and fiscal 2021 spending bills. Contact your lawmakers TODAY to help keep the pressure on Congress to reach agreements that provide critical funding for the addiction profession and the cl... Read More

Congressional leaders and the White House have committed to restarting negotiations on another COVID-19 relief package. On September 28, the House released an updated version of the HEROES Act. A section-by-section summary is available here. NAADAC is pleased that the new relief proposal includes $8.5 billion to provide increased mental health and substance use disorder support, a $5 billion increase from the House’s previous proposal that passed in May! House leaders are pl... Read More

On September 24, Sens. Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Reps. Harley Rouda (D-CA) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) introduced the Improving Medicaid Programs’ Response to Overdose Victims and Enhancing (IMPROVE) Addiction Care Act (S. 4702/H.R. 8388). This bipartisan legislation will require state Medicaid programs to use jointly-funded drug utilization review programs to increase access to treatment and boost safeguards for those on Medicaid who have experienced a non-fatal, opi... Read More

Congressional leaders in the House of Representatives delayed a vote on the Marijuana Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act (H.R. 3884) until after the November election.  While the collective voice of advocates contributed to the vote’s delay, we need to keep up the pressure on Congress as leaders are expected to bring the bill up for a vote later this year. While this legislation is being promoted as a social justice bill, as drafted it would fully legalize and commercialize m... Read More

The House of Representatives is expected to vote this month on the Marijuana Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act (H.R. 3884). While this legislation is being promoted as a social justice bill, as drafted it would fully legalize and commercialize marijuana. NAADAC does not currently support the use of marijuana as medicine or for recreational purposes. NAADAC recently joined a group of addiction stakeholders sending a letter to House leaders opposing the MORE Act. Contact your lawmak... Read More

In August, Members of Congress travel home for a period of time to connect with their constituents about issues impacting them. This is an opportunity for addiction professionals to make connections, develop relationships, and highlight personal stories about how there are countless Americans with addiction across the country! How can you make an impact? You can interact with your legislators and share your personal stories by email, social media, or phone. Members are also holding virtual... Read More

HRSA Awards Funding to Address Opioid Crisis On August 6, 2020, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced over $100 million in funding to combat substance use disorders (SUD) and opioid use disorders (OUD). HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy awarded $89 million to rural organizations participating in the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. The funding will be used to enhance and expand service delivery for SUD and OUD in rural communities HRSA&... Read More

Congress and the White House are currently negotiations another COVID-19 relief package. Given the emergency needs arising from the public health emergency, the House and Senate have proposed increasing funding for substance use disorder (SUD) programs. Contact your lawmakers TODAY! Please call the U.S. Capitol directly at 202-224-3121 and urge your Representative/Senators to fight for investments in SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery programs. Click here to find you... Read More

In June, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it will be distributing $15 billion in emergency relief funds to eligible providers that participate in state Medicaid/CHIP programs or Medicaid managed care plans that have not yet received a payment from the HHS Provider Relief Fund. The funds are expected to provide relief for a number of Medicaid providers, including mental health and substance use providers that may not have been eligible for previous funding announceme... Read More

Congressman Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) recently introduced a resolution calling on Congress to invest and bring parity to mental health and substance use disorder treatment systems. The Congressman also introduced the Behavioral Health Coordination and Communication Act (H.R.7723) to establish a new Interagency Coordinator to oversee all federal behavioral health efforts and mandate reports and proposals to identify systemic gaps. NAADAC provided the Congressman with recommendations to help stre... Read More

On July 23, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar signed an extension of the COVID-19 public health emergency. HHS has issues a number of regulatory waivers to help providers respond to COVID-19, including flexibilities for telehealth that have been impactful for substance use disorder patients and providers. NAADAC is pleased that HHS is extending these flexibilities for another 90 days to allow additional time for Congress and HHS to continue working with stakeholders to dete... Read More

Contribution by NAADAC Public Policy Committee July 22, 2020, marked the four-year anniversary of the day the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 was signed into law. The bill was introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) and Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (WI) as the first major federal addiction act in 40 years. When the bill was first developed in 2014, it received limited support on Capitol Hill, though NAADAC provided steadfast backing right away. In March 2016, the ... Read More

A select group of participants from the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG), including NAADAC, participated in a Zoom meeting with Congressman Kevin Hern (R-OK) on June 30, 2020. Representative Hern represents the 1st District of Oklahoma and is a member of the Freshman Working Group on Addiction. The roundtable discussion was co-hosted by MHLG and the Coalition to Stop Opioid Overdose and provided advocates with the opportunity to provide education and raise the visibility of our collective a... Read More

In the coming days, House and Senate Appropriations Committee members are expected to draft and vote on Fiscal Year 2021 spending bills. While Congress has made critical investments in substance use disorder (SUD) prevention, treatment, and recovery programs over the last several years, more is needed to continue this progress. Funding for SUD programs is critical this year given that data is showing a significant increase in substance use as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency. ... Read More

NAADAC participated in the May 18th Congressional Mental Health Caucus virtual roundtable with approximately 75 advocates representing national mental health organizations and eight Members of Congress. The event was co-hosted by Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Grace Napolitano (D-TX) and John Katko (R-NY). Advocates received updates on legislation and policy issues from Reps. David Trone (D-MD), Paul Tonko (R-NY), Dorsi Matsui (D-CA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), and Joseph Kennedy (D-MD).  The members... Read More

On Friday, May 15, the House of Representatives passed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, along with a resolution to allow for proxy voting and remote committee work in the House. Since the House-passed this new $3 trillion stimulus package, attention is now focused on the Senate. Unlike other recent COVID-19 relief bills that quickly passed both the Senate and the House with bipartisan support, the HEROES Act was crafted by the House majority and is b... Read More

On May 12, Democrats in the House of Representatives released the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act. The $3 trillion stimulus package includes nearly $1 trillion in relief funds for state and local governments, $200 billion for hazard pay for essential workers, $100 billion for provider relief funds, and $75 billion for testing and contact tracing. A full section-by-section summary is available here. The HEROES Act includes an investment of $3 bi... Read More

Update: Read the April 28, 2020 letter to Representatives Kennedy, Tonko, Matsui, Cardenas, and Trone from NAADAC Executive Director Cynthia Moreno Tuohy. On March 3, 2020, NAADAC participated in a small roundtable on Capital Hill hosted by Representatives Kennedy (D-MA), Tonko (D-NY), Matsui (D-CA), Cardanes (D-CA), Trone (D-MD) and Chairwoman Eshoo to discuss barriers, challenges, and solutions for improving our mental health and addiction care systems. The meeting brought together Represen... Read More

On March 3, 2020, NAADAC closely followed the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing entitled, “Combatting an Epidemic: Legislation to Help Patients with Substance Use Disorders.” In response to recent reports about delayed implementation of the 2018 SUPPORT Act law, the Committee also took the opportunity to assert its oversight function with its panel of agency witnesses. Reports point to a lack of progress by CMS in issuing Medicaid guidance needed to help st... Read More

The Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant is the foundation for substance use treatment, prevention, and recovery systems in states and territories across the U.S. The SAPT Block Grant helps ensure that jurisdiction can address the substance use disorder issues facing their respective communities. SAPT Block Grant funding has failed to keep pace with inflation, even as our nation faces crisis. We must demand that this critical lifeline to treatment and recovery services ... Read More

Following the release of President Trump’s FY2021 budget proposal, A Budget for America's Future, NAADAC has reviewed the Administration’s blueprint with an eye toward its priorities for prevention,  treatment and recovery services. As always, the President’s Budget serves the function of presenting a policy vision ahead of Congress’ annual funding process and does not carry the weight of law. Already, Leader McConnell (R-KY) and Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) have in... Read More

On Wednesday January 15th, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled “Cannabis Policies for the New Decade,” which can be viewed in full here. As part of our continuing efforts to engage Capitol Hill, NAADAC monitored the hearing closely and is reviewing the slate of proposals raised during Wednesday’s discussion. The hearing set out to examine the growing contrast, in recent years, between state and federal law with regard to cannabis pol... Read More

Last week, Congress reached agreement on a year-end spending bill that will provide significant funding for addiction research and substance use disorder treatment and recovery programs. NAADAC advocated strongly for number of key funding priorities and were pleased to see them included in the final package, including $12 million to establish a new Loan Repayment Program for the Substance Use Disorder Treatment Workforce and $1.5 billion for state grants to fight the opioid crisis. President... Read More

As the current Continuing Resolution deadline draws near, House and Senate Appropriators continue to negotiate a path forward on Fiscal Year 2020 spending. While funding is set to run out on December 20th, there is hope a full-year funding deal can still be struck. Both the House and Senate Labor-HHS-Education appropriation bills made critical investments in substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery programs. Supporting commitments that address the nation’s addiction c... Read More

Contact your lawmakers today and urge them to cosponsor the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act (S.1365, H.R.2569). Tackling our nation’s addiction crisis starts with a commitment to treatment and recovery services. The bill recognizes the scope of the crisis and the resources necessary to truly affect change. The bill provides state and local governments with $100 billion in federal funding over ten years to expand access to evidence-based treatment and recovery sup... Read More

A resolution recognizing the contributions of the Addiction Profession workforce has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. As advocates for the profession, your voice is critical in building support for H.Res. 419 and for the vital services you provide your clients every day. On June 3, 2019, Representatives Dave Joyce (R-OH-14) and Tim Ryan (D-OH-13), along with original cosponsors Representatives Bill Johnson (R-OH-06), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), James Sensenbrenner (R-WI-05), a... Read More