§290bb–36d — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

§290bb–36d Treatment Referral Routing Service

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 6A— - PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III–A— - SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION › Part Part B— - Centers and Programs › Subpart subpart 3— - center for mental health services › § 290bb–36d

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must keep a National Treatment Referral Routing Service to help people and families find mental health and substance use treatment providers. The service must include a nationwide phone line available year‑round that is private, does not require callers to give their names, is updated regularly, is free, and offers at least English and Spanish. It must also run a searchable website listing providers’ names, locations, contact details, and basic services. If the website lists a practitioner who prescribes narcotic drugs in schedule III, IV, or V for maintenance or detoxification, that practitioner must be allowed to ask to have their contact information removed. The Assistant Secretary can look for other ways to keep the website current and may use unused funds available to the Administration to run the service.

Title 42, §290bb–36d

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall maintain the National Treatment Referral Routing Service (referred to in this section as the “Routing Service”) to assist individuals and families in locating mental and substance use disorders treatment providers.

(b)To maintain the Routing Service, the activities of the Assistant Secretary shall include administering—

(1)a nationwide, telephone number providing year-round access to information that is updated on a regular basis regarding local behavioral health providers and community-based organizations in a manner that is confidential, without requiring individuals to identify themselves, is in languages that include at least English and Spanish, and is at no cost to the individual using the Routing Service; and

(2)an Internet website to provide a searchable, online treatment services locator of behavioral health treatment providers and community-based organizations, which shall include information on the name, location, contact information, and basic services provided by such providers and organizations.

(c)In the event that the Internet website described in subsection (b)(2) contains information on any practitioner who prescribes narcotic drugs in schedule III, IV, or V of section 812 of title 21 for the purpose of maintenance or detoxification treatment, the Assistant Secretary—

(1)shall provide an opportunity to such practitioner to have the contact information of the practitioner removed from the website at the request of the practitioner; and

(2)may evaluate other methods to periodically update the information displayed on such website.

(d)Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the Assistant Secretary from using any unobligated amounts otherwise made available to the Administration to maintain the Routing Service.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2025—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 119–26, § 4(2)(B)(iv), amended Pub. L. 117–328, § 1262(b)(3). See 2022 Amendment note below. 2022—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 117–328, § 1262(b)(3), as amended by Pub. L. 119–26, § 4(2)(B)(iv), substituted “information on any practitioner who prescribes narcotic drugs in schedule III, IV, or V of section 812 of title 21 for the purpose of maintenance or detoxification treatment” for “information on any qualified practitioner that is certified to prescribe medication for opioid dependency under section 823(h)(2)(B) of title 21” in introductory provisions. Pub. L. 117–215 substituted “823(h)(2)(B)” for “823(g)(2)(B)” in introductory provisions.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2025 Amendment Pub. L. 119–26, § 4, July 16, 2025, 139 Stat. 416, provided that the amendment made by section 4(2)(B)(iv) is effective as if included in the enactment of Pub. L. 117–328.