It's official! The President signed the CR, which included $500 million dollars to fight the opioid epidemic. The Senate passed the CR in a vote of 63-to-36, funding the federal government through April 28, 2017 ################################################################## H.R. 6 - 21ST CENTURY CURES ACT This week the US House of Representatives will consider H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures Act, which includes $1 billion dollars in grants for states to fight the opioid epidemic and related areas of addiction.  The bill also includes key addiction, mental health, as well as criminal justice reform provisions. If passed, this legislation reinforces key principles in CARA around a comprehensive response and authorizes additional funding for communities. 7 WAYS THE 21ST CENTURY CURES ACT IMPROVES OUR RESPONSE TO ADDICTION Authorizes $1 billion dollars for states in grants to address addiction through a comprehensive response that includes prevention, treatment, prescription drug monitoring programs, opioid treatment programs, and other key components; Creates federal drug courts, which will help better serve the 6.8 million people involved in the federal criminal justice system; Encourages integration of care for substance use disorders with primary care for patients with mental and/or substance use disorders by making it a condition for state-level grant dollars; Creates a new program for alternatives to incarceration for individuals with substance … [Read more...]