The RISE from Trauma Act establishes grants for community coordinating bodies to address trauma and build resilience, particularly for children and youth affected by violence, substance use, or other traumatic experiences. These grants (up to $6 million each for 4 years) require diverse community stakeholders - including healthcare providers, schools, law enforcement, and community organizations - to collaborate on identifying local needs and developing trauma-informed strategies. The legislation prioritizes communities with high rates of overdose deaths, violence-related deaths, or involvement in child welfare and juvenile justice systems. It also expands existing programs like the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, creates hospital-based interventions to prevent readmissions after trauma events, and establishes training for schools, law enforcement, and healthcare providers in trauma-informed care. Funding is authorized at $600 million annually from 2026-2033 for these initiatives.
The MORE Savings Act eliminates copays and deductibles for opioid treatment under Medicare, private health plans, and Medicaid. It requires Medicare beneficiaries to have no out-of-pocket costs for opioid treatment drugs, behavioral health services, and recovery support (like peer counseling and transportation). Private health plans must cover these services without cost-sharing starting in 2027, and Medicaid states get a 90% federal match for medication-assisted treatment. The bill directly affects Medicare beneficiaries, private insurance enrollees, and Medicaid recipients seeking opioid use disorder treatment.
This bill changes rules for prescribing certain medications used to treat substance use disorders. It allows healthcare providers to use telehealth for the initial patient evaluation instead of requiring an in-person visit, but only for drugs approved by the FDA for addiction treatment (schedules III-V). The telehealth must meet specific standards, including real-time audio/video communication. This affects doctors and other practitioners who prescribe these medications for substance use disorders.
This bill requires states to cover medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder under Medicaid without prior authorization or dosage limits for at least one formulation of each approved drug. It directly affects Medicaid patients with opioid use disorder and their healthcare providers, removing administrative barriers that previously required extra approvals or restricted dosing. The bill amends Medicaid law to mandate this coverage, while also requiring a federal report analyzing how current state policies (like dosing limits or counseling requirements) impact access to MAT. The changes apply starting one year after enactment, with states needing time to adjust if new state laws are required.
The End Veterans Overdose Act of 2026 requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide opioid overdose rescue medications (like naloxone) at no cost and without a prescription to veterans and their designated caregivers at VA pharmacies. It also mandates that veterans and caregivers receive clear information on how to use these medications. The law restricts VA from using personal information collected under this program for employment decisions, as evidence of drug use, or for addiction claims. Additionally, the VA must submit annual reports to Congress detailing how many veterans and caregivers received the medication, assessing potential expansions to family members and non-VA providers, and tracking usage trends.
This bill removes an age restriction that previously prevented Medicaid from covering mental health care in specialized institutions for people under 65. It amends the Social Security Act to eliminate the "65 years or older" requirement, allowing all age groups to qualify for Medicaid coverage of services at these facilities. The bill also establishes new evidence-based standards for these institutions, requiring them to meet nationally recognized criteria for mental health and substance use disorder care. This change directly affects younger adults with mental health conditions who rely on Medicaid for institutional treatment.
The ANCHOR Act of 2025 (S 3300) creates a new state option to provide medical assistance to uninsured individuals with serious mental illness or substance use disorders who have incomes at or below 100% of the federal poverty line. It defines "specified individuals" as those meeting income limits, being uninsured, and having a qualifying condition (like opioid use disorder or serious mental illness), as determined by healthcare providers or designated state entities. States choosing to adopt this program must ensure enrollees receive a care plan within 60 days and report on behavioral health quality measures. The assistance covers the same scope as standard Medicaid for this group, initially for one year with potential annual renewals after redetermination. This bill directly affects uninsured adults with specific health conditions in states that implement the new option.
The Building Capacity for Care Act (HR 2223) provides loans, loan guarantees, and grants to help hospitals and mental health/substance use disorder treatment facilities build or improve services. It specifically targets facilities that will increase psychiatric or substance use disorder bed capacity in areas with insufficient services, high overdose death rates, or high suicide rates. Eligible entities must cover at least 25% of project costs from non-federal sources. The bill authorizes up to $200 million annually from fiscal years 2025-2029 for these programs, with grants prioritized for facilities in mental health shortage areas or communities with high rates of overdose deaths or suicides. A new trust fund will be established to support community mental health services using revenues from these programs.
HRES 764 is a symbolic House resolution recognizing persistent disparities in mental health access and treatment for Black youth. It cites alarming statistics, including a 149% rise in suicide rates among Black adolescents (2007-2023) and higher rates of suicide attempts among Black high school students. The resolution calls on the current administration to continue previous efforts addressing these disparities, incorporate recommendations from the Congressional Black Caucus’s "Ring the Alarm" report, and protect the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as an independent agency. It does not create new laws or allocate funds but serves as a formal acknowledgment of the crisis and a request for policy continuity.
This bill amends existing law to expand access to mental health services for students in career-focused education programs. It updates the definition of "covered institution" to include both area career and technical education schools (under the Perkins Act) and traditional colleges, ensuring these schools qualify for the same federal mental health and substance use disorder services already available to other higher education institutions. The change directly affects CTE students by making their schools eligible for existing federal funding and support mechanisms. The bill makes no new funding commitments but adjusts legal language to include CTE programs in current service provisions.
