Bill Overview
Title: Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant Act of 2022
Description: This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and modifies the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, which supports state, tribal, and territorial efforts to prevent and treat substance use disorders. Specifically, the bill expands the scope of the grant to include the provision of recovery support services. Grant recipients must include information about recovery support activities in their plans for expending grant funds. Additionally, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration must conduct a study to develop a model needs assessment process for grant recipients to use when determining the allocation of grant funding among prevention, treatment, and recovery support activities. The bill also revises multiple provisions to eliminate stigmatizing terms (e.g., substance abuse) and otherwise align with current legislative drafting conventions.
Sponsors: Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
Target Audience
Population: People with substance use disorders
Estimated Size: 40300000
- Substance use disorders affect individuals globally, with millions of people battling addiction and requiring various forms of support.
- The reauthorization of this grant will have an impact on a large number of individuals receiving prevention, treatment, and recovery support, which are critical components for managing substance use disorders.
- This bill not only supports treatment and prevention but now includes recovery support services, expanding the target population to those already in recovery who need ongoing assistance.
- The bill's attempt to eliminate stigmatizing language may also have a societal impact, possibly encouraging more individuals to seek help and reducing barriers to treatment.
Reasoning
- Substance use disorders in the U.S. affect a wide range of people from various backgrounds, ages, and economic statuses. It's important to simulate a mix of individuals, both those who will be directly impacted by the new provisions, and others within the system who might see indirect effects.
- The budget allocation suggests potential improvements in resources and facilities for substance use disorder treatment and recovery services. High-impact individuals would likely be those directly utilizing these facilities or services.
- The potential societal impact of the bill's language revision may influence general perception and reduce stigmatization, thus altering self-reported wellbeing slightly even for those not directly using services.
Simulated Interviews
outreach worker (Ohio)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The expansion to include recovery supports is vital because staying clean is a daily struggle that needs consistent help.
- Having more inclusive, non-stigmatizing language reflects respect for people like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 2 |
IT specialist (California)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm not sure if this will really change anything for someone like me without structured programs in workplaces.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
student (New York)
Age: 19 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved awareness and understanding might help people like my family, but direct care isn't for me right now.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
construction worker (Texas)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better structured support will make a big difference after court supervision ends.
- Language changes help but actions speak louder.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
retired (Florida)
Age: 53 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The change in grant focus to recovery is positive; it gives hope to seniors who may still battle fear of relapse.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
freelance artist (Virginia)
Age: 24 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Don't think it affects me much now, but knowing help is there if needed is a slight comfort.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
nurse (Minnesota)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could help improve job satisfaction by providing more resources and better patient outcomes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
retired military (Washington)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Recovery support makes a difference, especially if services consider veterans' unique needs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
therapist (Massachusetts)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The expanded focus supports holistic recovery, which I passionately advocate for in mental health reform.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
small business owner (Arizona)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Feels optimistic that more funds for recovery can reduce recidivism rates for others like him.
- Mentoring opportunities could benefit from policy changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1800000000 (Low: $1600000000, High: $2000000000)
Year 2: $1840000000 (Low: $1640000000, High: $2040000000)
Year 3: $1880000000 (Low: $1680000000, High: $2080000000)
Year 5: $1960000000 (Low: $1760000000, High: $2160000000)
Year 10: $2150000000 (Low: $1950000000, High: $2350000000)
Year 100: $3900000000 (Low: $3700000000, High: $4100000000)
Key Considerations
- Potential changes in the healthcare landscape affecting grants and their wider impact.
- Uncertain extent of recovery support service benefits due to variability in individual success rates.
- Potential overlap with services funded by other federal health programs.