House passes SUPPORT Act reauthorization

Medicines in hand

Key Takeaways

Update 06/05/25

On June 4, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 (H.R. 2483) by a strong bipartisan vote of 366–57. The bill, which reauthorizes billions of dollars for critical programs that target overdose prevention, now heads to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where a version of the bill was overwhelmingly advanced with bipartisan support in the 118th Congress.

This marks a significant victory for counties, which serve as the backbone of the nation’s behavioral health system. Counties administer services through nearly 750 local behavioral health authorities and invest more than $80 billion annually in community health. NACo strongly supports the bill and will continue working to ensure its final passage in the Senate. 

 


 

On April 9, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee marked up the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 (H.R. 2483). The bipartisan bill aims to reauthorize critical programs that target overdose prevention amid the renewal of the opioid crisis Public Health Emergency declaration. In the Senate, these reauthorizations were incorporated into a larger bipartisan package, the Bipartisan Health Care Act (S.891).

What is the SUPPORT Act  

In 2018, Congress passed the Substance-Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act (P.L. 115-271). This comprehensive legislative package was the largest Congressional investment in overdose prevention at the time and was aimed to strengthen the country's response to the ongoing substance use crisis.  

In September 2023, many policy provisions in the original package expired, requiring congressional reauthorization to continue these critical programs among a worsening overdose crisis. The House and Senate each have their own versions of the reauthorization bill, but legislation generally:

  • Funds residential treatment recovery services for pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders (SUD)
  • Renews funding for prevention, treatment and recovery programs
  • Supports training programs for first responders and community members to reverse overdoses
  • Bolsters the SUD workforce by offering loan repayment programs
  • Funds grants for community-based recovery and youth prevention efforts
  • Establishes a national peer-run training and technical assistance center
  • Requires expanded data collection on SUD and mental health services
  • Extends DEA flexibilities for telehealth prescribing of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)

County impacts

Counties are the backbone of our nation’s mental and behavioral health service system, administering treatment, recovery and support services through nearly 750 behavioral health authorities and over $80 billion in community health investments. The reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act will offer continued support to counties in their ongoing efforts to respond effectively to the ongoing behavioral health crisis as it contains several key funding streams to help support community-based SUD-related treatment and recovery, as well as resources to bolster the behavioral health workforce. 

Related News

539281953
Advocacy

MAHA Commission releases federal strategy outlining next steps in childhood chronic disease prevention

On September 9, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission’s new Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, following the earlier MAHA Report published in May 2025. The strategy builds on the assessment’s findings regarding four key drivers of childhood chronic disease: poor diet, chemical exposure, lack of physical activity and chronic stress and overmedicalization.

Ambulance of emergency medical service on road
Advocacy

CMS releases details on the Rural Health Transformation Program

On September 2, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released additional details on the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program, overviewing program goals, requirements and timelines. 

Medical motivation, doctor success and hands of team of hospital workers stacked for healthcare
Advocacy

Counties encouraged to apply for newly established HHS Healthcare Advisory Committee

On August 22, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the creation of a new Healthcare Advisory Committee, aimed at providing expert guidance on pressing healthcare challenges. This new committee represents an important opportunity for counties to have a voice in shaping federal healthcare policy.