Committees Official Designation
Interdepartmental Substance Use Disorders Coordinating Committee
Authority
The Interdepartmental Substance Use Disorders Coordinating Committee (Committee or ISUDCC) is required under Section 7022 of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act, Public Law 115-271). The Committee is governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. 10).
Objectives and Scope of Activities
The Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary), in coordination with the Director of National Drug Control Policy, is required to establish a Committee to coordinate Federal activities related to substance use disorders.
The Committee will identify areas for improved coordination related to substance abuse, including research services, supports and prevention activities across all relevant Federal agencies.
In identifying areas for coordination, the committee will provide recommendations for improving Federal programs for the prevention and treatment of, and recovery from, substance use disorders, including by expanding access to prevention, treatment and recovery services.
Description of Duties
The Committee will perform the following duties:
- Identify areas for improved coordination of activities, if any, related to substance use disorders, including research, services, supports, and prevention activities across all relevant Federal agencies;
- Identify and provide to the Secretary, recommendations for improving Federal programs for the prevention and treatment of, and recovery from, substance use disorders, including by expanding access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services;
- Analyze substance use disorder prevention and treatment strategies in different regions of and populations in the United States and evaluate the extent to which Federal substance use disorder prevention and treatment strategies are aligned with State and local substance use disorder prevention and treatment strategies;
- Make recommendations to the Secretary regarding any appropriate changes with respect to the activities and strategies described in paragraphs (l) through (3);
- Make recommendations to the Secretary regarding public participation in decisions relating to substance use disorders and the process by which public feedback can be better integrated into such decisions; and
- Make recommendations to ensure that substance use disorder research, services, supports, and prevention activities of the Department of Health and Human Services and other Federal agencies are not unnecessarily duplicative.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the SUPPORT Act, and annually thereafter for the life of the Committee, the Committee will publish on SAMHSA’s website, a report summarizing the activities (as stipulated under Description of Duties) carried out by the Committee, including any findings resulting from such activities.
Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports
The Committee will provide expert advice and recommendations to the Secretary or his/her designee. .
Support
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use (OASMHSU) will provide management and support services for the Committee. The OASMHSU is under SAMHSA, an operating division in the Department of Health and Human Services.
Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years
The estimated annual cost for operating the Committee, including compensation and travel expenses for members but excluding staff support is $85,677. The estimated annual person years of staff support required is 1.0 at an estimated cost of $179,589.
Designated Federal Officer
The ASMHSU will select the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) from among permanent full-time or part-time staff within SAMHSA, who have knowledge of the subject matter and skills and experience necessary to manage the Committee. The ASMHSU may appoint an Alternate DFO who will carry out these duties in the event that the appointed DFO cannot fulfill the assigned responsibilities for the Committee.
The DFO will schedule and approve all meetings of the Committee and any subcommittees that may be established by the Committee. The DFO will prepare and approve all meeting agendas. The DFO may collaborate with the Committee Chair in this activity, and when deemed appropriate, with chairs of any existing subcommittees that have been established by the Committee. The DFO or Alternate DFO will attend all meetings of the Committee and all meetings of any subcommittees that have been established to assist the Committee. The DFO has authority to adjourn meetings, when it is determined to be in the public interest, and may also chair meetings of the Committee when directed to do so by the ASMHSU or designee.
Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings
The Committee will meet not less than two times a year each year, depending on the availability of funds, and these meetings may be conducted by teleconference or video conference at the discretion of the DFO. The meetings will be open to the public, except as determined otherwise by the Secretary, or other official to whom authority has been delegated, in accordance with the guidelines under Government in the Sunshine Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b(c), and the FACA. Notice of all meetings will be provided to the public 15 calendar days prior to the meeting. Meetings will be conducted, and records of the proceedings will be kept, as required by applicable laws and Departmental policies. A quorum for the conduct of business by the full Committee will consist of a majority of the Committee members who are appointed by the Secretary.
When the Secretary or Secretary's designee determines that a meeting will be closed or partially closed to the public, in accordance with stipulations of Government in the Sunshine Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b(c), then a report will be prepared by the DFO that includes, at a minimum, a list of members and their business addresses, the Committee's functions, date and place of the meeting, and a summary of the Committee's activities and recommendations made during the fiscal year. A copy of the report will be provided to the Department Committee Management Officer.
Duration
The charter for the Committee will be renewed every two years until the Committee terminates according to the Termination section.
Termination
As stipulated in Section 7022 of the SUPPORT Act, the Committee shall terminate on May 6, 2025, six years after its establishment.
Membership and Designation
The Committee will be composed of the following Federal ex-officios, or the designees of such representatives. They will serve for the duration of the time that the Committee is authorized to operate.
- The Secretary, who will serve as the Chair of the Committee;
- The Attorney General of the United States;
- The Secretary of Labor;
- The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
- The Secretary of Education;
- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
- The Commissioner of Social Security;
- The Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use;
- The Director of National Drug Control Policy;
- Representatives of other Federal agencies that support or conduct activities or programs related to substance abuse disorders, as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
The Secretary designates the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use as the Chair of the ISUDCC.
In accordance with section 7022(b)(2) of the SUPPORT Act, the Committee will include a minimum of 15 non-Federal members who will be appointed by the Secretary as special government employees (SGEs), of which—
- At least two such members shall be an individual who has received treatment for a diagnosis of a substance use disorder;
- At least two such members shall be a director of a State substance abuse agency;
- At least two such members shall be a representative of a leading research, advocacy, or service organization for adults with substance use disorder;
- At least two such members shall—
- Be a physician, licensed mental health professional, advance practice registered nurse, or physician assistant; and
- Have experience in treating individuals with substance use disorders;
- At least one such member shall be a substance use disorder treatment professional who provides treatment services at a certified opioid treatment program;
- At least one such member shall be a substance use disorder treatment professional who has research or clinical experience in working with racial and ethnic minority populations;
- At least one such member shall be a substance use disorder treatment professional who has research or clinical mental health experience in working with medically underserved populations;
- At least one such member shall be a State-certified substance use disorder peer support specialist;
- At least one such member shall be a drug court judge or a judge with experience in adjudicating cases related to substance use disorders;
- At least one such member shall be a public safety officer with extensive experience in interacting with adults with a substance use disorder; and
- At least one such member shall be an individual with experience providing services for homeless individuals with a substance use disorder.
Non-federal members will be appointed to terms of three years and may be reappointed for one or more additional three-year terms. A vacancy on the Committee will be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. Any individual appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term will be appointed for the remainder of such a term and may serve after the expiration of such term until a successor has been appointed. No member of the Committee shall serve as a Representative member.
Subcommittees
Subcommittees (or working groups) may be established by the Committee, in consultation with the DFO. Any subcommittee shall be composed of members of the Committee (or the designees of such members) and may hold such meetings as are necessary to enable the subcommittee to carry out the duties delegated to the subcommittee. All subcommittee meetings will have prior approval of the DFO before convening. The subcommittee will make recommendations to be deliberated on by the parent Committee in open public meetings. No established subcommittee of the Committee may report directly to the Secretary of another federal official unless there is specific statutory authority for such reporting. All subcommittee members may vote on subcommittee actions and all subcommittee members count toward the quorum for the subcommittee meeting. Special consultants and ad hoc members may be called upon to perform functions within the committee's jurisdiction. Neither special consultants nor ad hoc consultants count toward the quorum and may not vote. Consultants are not members of the subcommittee. The Department's Committee Management Officer will be notified upon the establishment of each subcommittee and will be provided information on the subcommittee's name, membership, function, cost, and estimated frequency of meetings.
Recordkeeping
The records of the Commission and its subcommittees will be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 6.2, Federal Advisory Committee Records, or other approved agency records disposition schedule. These records will be available for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.
Filing Date
May 06, 2023
APPROVED
________________________
Xavier Becerra
Secretary Department of Health & Human Services