Kaine & Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Substance Use Disorder Recovery Resources

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), John Cornyn (R-TX), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Strengthening Communities of Recovery Act to reauthorize and expand resources for individuals experiencing substance use disorder (SUD). Individuals in recovery often struggle to reintegrate into society due to stigma, lack of support, and limited access to resources they need. The Strengthening Communities of Recovery Act would support those in recovery by reauthorizing and expanding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Building Communities of Recovery grant program, which allows organizations to develop and enhance peer recovery and general recovery support services.

“Substance use disorder impacts Virginians across the Commonwealth, and it’s important that we help individuals and families get the support they need to recover,” said Senator Kaine. “The Strengthening Communities of Recovery Act would help develop, improve, and expand peer support and recovery services for Virginians in need.”

SUD represents a significant public health challenge in Virginia. In 2022, 22,398 Virginians visited the emergency room due to an overdose, and 2,490 Virginians died from an overdose. Despite the number of Virginians impacted by substance use disorder, the availability of recovery services is limited. The Strengthening Communities of Recovery Act would increase the availability of recovery services by:

• Reauthorizing the Building Communities of Recovery grant program for five years,
• Increasing funding for the grant program from $5 million per year to $16 million per year, and
• Providing funding to allow organizations to offer a number of recovery services, including advocacy, education, employment assistance, and outreach to families and communities. Organizations would also be enabled to collaborate with other harm reduction entities, such as community-based partnerships that provide individuals that use drugs with the tools and resources they need to recover.

In June, the McShin Foundation in Richmond was awarded federal funding through the Building Communities of Recovery program. The McShin Foundation supports individuals returning to the community from jails, prisons, or institutions, individuals with a history of reoccurring substance use, and individuals in need of aftercare upon leaving Richmond addiction treatment centers. The funding will be used to provide peer support services to those incarcerated in rural areas, housing in one of their recovery residences for those transitioning from incarceration, and for the training and development of six Peer Recovery Specialists per year. This will help Virginians recover and contribute to their communities and local economies. The Strengthening Communities of Recovery Act will help ensure the McShin Foundation receives this funding.

“To be able to provide all these services to people when they need it not only is life-changing for the individual, but it creates a healing change as well as a prosperous future in our whole community,” said Honesty Liller, CEO of the McShin Foundation.

Full text of the bill is available here. A one pager is available here.

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