PASSED: Lee and Kiggans’ Bipartisan Legislation to Help Prevent Youth Substance Abuse Passes House

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the bipartisan Treatment, Recovery, Education, Awareness and Training for (TREAT) Youth Act, led by Congresswomen Susie Lee (NV-03) and Jen Kiggans (VA-02), passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation would provide resources for a critical program that expired in 2023 to support youth at risk of drug use, addiction, and overdose.

Lee’s TREAT Youth Act passed the House today as part of the bipartisan SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025.

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 youth 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 program was last authorized under the 2018 Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act, which 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. 

“I’ve seen far too many children of my friends and fellow parents struggle with addiction and substance abuse. Today, the House passed my bipartisan TREAT Youth Act to provide funding and resources for a federal program supporting youth at risk of substance abuse,” said Congresswoman Lee. “We can’t wait any longer to get this life saving legislation passed and signed into law to protect our children and train healthcare providers and educators on best practices for helping youth suffering from substance abuse.”

"As a nurse practitioner and someone deeply committed to improving public health, I’m proud to support the bipartisan TREAT Youth Act," said Congresswoman Kiggans. "Substance use among young people is a growing crisis that affects not just individuals, but entire families and communities. This bill takes meaningful steps to expand prevention, treatment, and recovery services for adolescents—empowering schools and providers with the tools they need to intervene early and save lives. I’m grateful to work across the aisle to ensure our next generation has access to the support and care they deserve."

The full text of the TREAT Youth Act can be found here.

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