On March 23, Dr. Yngvild Olsen, the vice president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, submitted testimony to the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies regarding the Fiscal Year 2021 LHHS Appropriations Act.

In her testimony, Dr. Olsen urged the subcommittee to appropriate $25 million for the Loan Repayment Program for Substance Use Disorder Treatment Workforce, as well as $30 million for the Mental and Substance Use Disorder Workforce Training Demonstration Program, both of which are administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Finally, Dr. Olsen requested that the subcommittee apply a provision similar to Section 2604(g) of the Ryan White CARE Act, known as the “Requirement of Status as Medicaid Provider,” to the State Opioid Response (SOR) Grant program in the Fiscal Year 2021 LHHS Appropriations Act. Such a requirement for certain SOR Grant recipients to enroll in Medicaid would ensure they meet minimum standards for Medicaid healthcare providers and should help prevent those providers who cannot meet Medicaid standards from receiving federal funding for Medicaid-covered SUD-related services. 

Read the testimony here.