NOW LAW: Congresswoman Lee's Bipartisan Legislation to Help Prevent Youth Substance Abuse Signed into Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night, Congresswoman Lee’s bipartisan Treatment, Recovery, Education, Awareness and Training for (TREAT) Youth Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump.
Lee’s legislation, which she led with Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02), will provide resources for a critical program that expired in 2023 to support youth at risk of drug use, addiction, and overdose. The TREAT Youth Act was signed into law as part of the bipartisan SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025, which passed the House with strong bipartisan support in a 366-57 vote and unanimously passed the Senate.
“I’ve seen far too many children of my friends and fellow parents struggle with addiction and substance abuse. I’m so grateful that this lifesaving law will now better protect our children and train health care providers and educators on best practices for helping youth suffering from addiction,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “After earning overwhelming support from Republicans and Democrats alike, my bipartisan TREAT Youth Act has now been signed into law.”
TREAT Youth Act:
Reauthorizes the Preventing Youth Overdose: Treatment, Recovery, Education, Awareness and Training program through fiscal year 2030, under the Department of Health and Human Services.
Gradually increases funding for this program up to $15 million over the course of the 5-year reauthorization to help meet the increased need for youth prevention and recovery in our communities.
Provides grants to improve youth awareness of risks associated with fentanyl and increase access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for adolescents and young adults diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD).
Helps train health care providers, families, and school personnel on best practices for supporting youth with OUD and those taking MOUD.
The Preventing Youth Overdose: Treatment, Recovery, Education, Awareness and Training program was last authorized under the 2018 Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act. This legislation represented the largest ever investment in overdose prevention programs by funding efforts to improve care, including efforts to reduce barriers to all levels of the care continuum and allocate resources to states and providers for the purposes of preventing and treating substance use disorder.
Nevada Substance Abuse Statistics:
In Nevada, overdose deaths increased by an estimated 3.47% between December 2023 and December 2024, even as drug overdose deaths decreased nationwide.
According to a study, 22% of Nevadans ages 12 and older had used an illicit substance in the past 30 days, and those aged 18-25 had reported 31.9%.
3.9% of Nevadans ages 12 and older reported opioid misuse in the past year.
In 2019, nearly 10% of Nevada high school students reported taking pain medication without a prescription or differently than prescribed within the past 30 days.
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