Place-Based Substance Use Disorder Outreach Amendment Act of 2025

New neighborhood outreach for addiction care

The law creates a substance use outreach program within the District’s Department of Behavioral Health. It requires grants to experienced 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving designated high-need areas. Services include crisis help, repeated contact with peer involvement, treatment referrals, harm reduction supplies, and overdose reversal. Workers also help people access housing, food, Medicaid, income or disability benefits, transportation, and other support needed for care. The law sets no grant amounts and creates no new individual benefit entitlement. The Department can designate areas, in consultation with grantees, for up to 180 days, or 90 days for urgent intervention. It must consider the previous 6 months of public-space substance use reports, related hospitalizations, overdoses, and deaths. Other indicators include repeated use by the same people and interactions with pedestrians and businesses. Boundaries can change when substance use activity shifts nearby. Within 45 days of designation, businesses, business improvement districts, and community groups must receive notice. Notices explain services, identify the assigned nonprofit, and explain how to request help. The Department must make reasonable efforts to keep contact details updated. The Department must coordinate through regular meetings or written protocols with police, human services, child and family services, and health agencies. Coordination also includes the Deputy Mayor’s planning and economic development office and other relevant agencies. Public reports begin 6 months after the law becomes applicable and continue annually. For each area, reports track people reached, repeat contacts, service connections, appointment attendance when available, and time to service connection. They also track overdose reversals, supplies distributed, and education or prevention activities. Reports must explain access barriers, responses, changes in substance use activity, movement to nearby areas, outreach adjustments, local coordination, and community feedback. The law becomes applicable only when an approved District budget and financial plan includes its fiscal effect and the Chief Financial Officer certifies inclusion. Its effective-date rule requires mayoral approval or a Council veto override, followed by a 30-day congressional review period.