ASAM Supports H.R. 2503, the Social Determinants Accelerator Act of 2021

On June 1, ASAM sent a letter to Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), Jim McGovern (D-MA-2), Tom Cole (R-OK-4), and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK-2) thanking them for their introduction of H.R. 2503, the Social Determinants Accelerator Act of 2021. This important legislation would create an inter-agency technical advisory council on social determinants of health (SDOH) to help overcome barriers to coordinating services across sectors and a new federal grant program to assist state, local, and Tribal governments in tackling persistent economic and social conditions that impact the prevention and treatment of chronic medical conditions, including addiction.

After highlighting ASAM’s definition of addiction, as well as its new Public Policy Statement on Advancing Racial Justice in Addiction Medicine, the letter stressed the impact that social and economic factors can have on substance use and addiction, noting that such factors contribute to racial health disparities in the U.S. The letter continued by acknowledging that the ASAM Criteria, ASAM’s nationally recognized guidelines for addiction treatment, has long understood the importance of a patient’s recovery or living situation, and surrounding people, places and things. In conclusion, the letter praised the legislation for helping grantees navigate and coordinate fragmented and complex programs, as well as encouraging development of measures to assess the impact of interventions critical to identifying best practices and generating additional evidence about improving health outcomes.

Read ASAM's letter here. 

Read the bill here.