SUD Crisis

When supported by strong clinical data, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should provide a formal indication for a specific psychiatric symptom when that symptom has been mapped onto specific neuronal circuits.

Congress must pass legislation to permanently place fentanyl-related substances (FRS) into Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act. The Biden Administration has supported such scheduling[1], and the U.S. House of Representatives has passed the HALT Fentanyl Act.[2]

Congress should pass a 10 percent set-aside for crisis services in the Mental Health Block Grant to address gaps in vital crisis services across the United States. At present, the set-aside stands at 5 percent, which falls short of effectively meeting the growing demand for mental health support, including in moments of mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) emergencies.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Defense (DOD), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) should work with stakeholders to develop model statutes, regulations, and policies to ensure informed patient consent before an opioid is prescribed for chronic pain.[1]

Senate and House appropriators should include in the annual Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies spending bill a requirement that as a condition of receiving certain Department of Justice funding, local criminal legal systems, including law enforcement and juvenile justice programs, should be required to develop comprehensive diversion plans with health systems and mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) providers in their communities.[1] Additionally, efforts to universally screen and assess individuals at arrest, sentencing, and all points across the criminal legal system continuum for MH/SUD should be expanded to inform connections to appropriate treatment and services.[2]

Tribal representatives must have the opportunity to serve on federal task forces and commissions seeking to address the opioid epidemic. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force and the National Committee on Heroin, Opioid, and Pain Efforts (HOPE) must include tribal representation.[1]