Bill > HR4982

This bill, titled the Examining Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Act of 2016, mandates that the Government Accountability Office (GAO), led by the Comptroller General of the United States, conduct a comprehensive study and report to Congress within 24 months of enactment. The report will evaluate the current capacity, availability, and needs for both inpatient and outpatient treatment for substance use disorders across the United States. This evaluation will specifically examine various types of programs, including detoxification, clinical stabilization, transitional residential support, and rehabilitation services, as well as specialized programs for pregnant women and adolescents, and treatment provided through Indian health programs. Additionally, the GAO will assess geographical disparities in treatment access, the availability of evidence-based treatments including FDA-approved medicines and non-pharmacological therapies, and the number of individuals receiving these services. A crucial part of the report will be identifying barriers, including technological ones, to real-time reporting of de-identified drug overdose data at federal, state, and local levels, and proposing solutions to overcome these obstacles.