The president on Monday signed into law legislation led by U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) that reauthorizes and revises U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs that address substance use disorders, overdoses, and mental health.
The newly enacted SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025, H.R. 2483, introduced on March 13 by U.S. Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), also revises several programs and establishes new requirements for HHS. Sen. Cassidy on June 18 sponsored the identical S. 2121 alongside lead original cosponsor U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
“The opioid and mental health crisis is devastating families across the nation. Thousands of Americans die each month from an overdose,” Sen. Cassidy said. “President Trump and I are committed to tackling this crisis head-on. I’m proud to work with him to enact the SUPPORT Act to equip communities with vital resources to save lives.”
The SUPPORT Act originally passed Congress and was signed into law in 2018, but it expired on Sept. 30, 2023.
The new law revises programs including by expanding a program that supports resources for first responders to include the purchase of drugs or devices to treat non-opioid overdoses; expanding a program that supports employment services for individuals in recovery to allow for the provision of related transportation services; and temporarily authorizing a regional technical assistance center to assist the National Peer-Run Training and Technical Assistance Center for Addiction Recovery Support.
Additionally, new requirements set for HHS include protecting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program from cybersecurity threats, establishing a Federal Interagency Work Group on Fentanyl Contamination of Illegal Drugs, and reviewing and potentially revising the scheduling of approved products containing a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone under the Controlled Substances Act, according to the Congressional Record bill summary.
Among several other provisions, the law also renews and strengthens programs for prevention, treatment, and recovery, helps individuals in recovery reenter the workforce, and reauthorizes specialized programs that treat moms and babies with alcohol and other substance use disorders, as well as opioid recovery centers that provide a full spectrum of support services for individuals with substance use disorders.