Bill Overview
Title: Student and Student Athlete Opioid Misuse Prevention Act
Description: This bill authorizes a program through which the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration may award grants or other assistance for preventing and addressing the misuse of opioids and other medications used for treating pain or injury recovery among students and student athletes. Entities eligible for the grants include states, nonprofits, and drug-free community coalitions.
Sponsors: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Target Audience
Population: Students and student athletes worldwide
Estimated Size: 70000000
- The bill targets the issue of opioid misuse among the student population.
- Opioids and medications for pain or injury recovery are commonly used by student-athletes due to the physical nature of their activities.
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will provide grants to support preventive measures, which implies a focus on organizations likely to reach affected students.
- The focus on students suggests educational institutions might be involved, impacting students across various levels of education.
Reasoning
- The policy specifically targets a large population of students and student-athletes in the US.
- The budget constraints suggest that not every affected individual will receive direct benefits.
- Focusing on environments like schools and sports teams means the reach will be substantial but not exhaustive given budget limits.
- Preventive measures are likely to have varying degrees of impact across the population depending on existing local resources and the prevalence of opioid misuse.
Simulated Interviews
College Student, Athlete (Austin, TX)
Age: 20 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this policy is good because it will provide more awareness and resources to prevent misuse before it begins.
- It's crucial for athletes like me, who face injuries more often, to receive the right guidance and support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
High School Student, Soccer Player (Cleveland, OH)
Age: 17 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's reassuring to know that there might be better programs to help us understand the dangers of opioid misuse.
- I hope this means safer options for pain management will be available.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Graduate Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- An important step in curbing a serious issue at its roots.
- With more funding in this area, I believe my peers will have more resources should they need them.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Part-time Worker, Community College Student (New York, NY)
Age: 19 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like this assure me that if I ever need information or help, it's there.
- May not directly impact me now, but I'm sure it will be beneficial in the community.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
High School Athletic Coach (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy can make significant emotional and physical impacts on student-athletes.
- We've needed synthesized strategies to combat this, and funding would help implement those strategies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
College Student, Non-Athlete (Boston, MA)
Age: 21 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone interested in policy, I can see the long-term benefits of effective prevention programs.
- These initiatives seem forward-thinking.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Middle School Student, Tennis Player (Miami, FL)
Age: 14 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a young athlete, I feel safer knowing this kind of support is possible in the future.
- Prevention is always better than facing the problem head-on without initial support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
High School Senior (Chicago, IL)
Age: 18 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support this because it could help many of my classmates who do sports.
- Even though I'm not directly involved, knowing my friends are safer is a relief.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
High School Sophomore, Track Athlete (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 16 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Really hope my school takes part in this program because it could mean less risk for serious harm among my peers.
- Educational workshops alone could change many minds.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
School Nurse (Rural Iowa)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Additional funding can help us deliver better educational content and resources to prevent misuse.
- In rural areas, resource allocation is often limited, so this grant can do a lot of good.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $60000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $70000000)
Year 2: $61000000 (Low: $51000000, High: $71000000)
Year 3: $62000000 (Low: $52000000, High: $72000000)
Year 5: $63000000 (Low: $53000000, High: $73000000)
Year 10: $64000000 (Low: $54000000, High: $74000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The program's success will depend heavily on effective implementation and collaboration among stakeholders.
- Targeting prevention is financially prudent, but tracking and evaluation will be essential to ensure effectiveness.
- The short-term costs may appear high, but the investment in prevention could yield significant long-term savings and health improvements.