Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§290aa–16 Evaluation of Performance of Department of Health and Human Services Programs

Title 42 › CHAPTER 6A — PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER III–A — SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION › Part A — Organization and General Authorities › § 290aa–16

Last updated Sep 23, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Health and Human Services must evaluate any program in this Act that gives grants mainly to help with opioid abuse (this includes certain SAMHSA grants and excludes sections 703–707). Each evaluation must be finished not later than 5 years after July 22, 2016. The Secretary must publish the evaluation results and the data used within 90 days after finishing, and send a report to the relevant congressional committees. Within 180 days after July 22, 2016, the Secretary must name the outcomes these programs should reach and the exact measures (metrics) to check progress, and publish those within 30 days. Grantees must collect those metric data and report them to the Secretary each year. The Secretary must use the National Academy of Sciences or a qualified nonfederal research group to do the evaluations. If a program already has a similar federal evaluation, the Secretary may skip it.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §290aa–16

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

(1)Evaluations
(A)In general
Not later than 5 years after July 22, 2016, except as otherwise provided in this section, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the “Secretary”) shall complete an evaluation of any program administered by the Secretary included in this Act (or an amendment made by this Act, excluding sections 703 through 707), including any grant administered by the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration under section 1536 of title 21, that provides grants for the primary purpose of providing assistance in addressing problems pertaining to opioid abuse based upon the outcomes and metrics identified under paragraph (2).
(B)Publication
With respect to each evaluation completed under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall, not later than 90 days after the date on which such evaluation is completed, publish the results of such evaluation and issue a report on such evaluation to the appropriate committees. Such report shall also be published along with the data used to make such evaluation.
(2)Metrics and outcomes
(A)In general
Not later than 180 days after July 22, 2016, the Secretary shall identify—
(i)outcomes that are to be achieved by activities funded by the programs described in paragraph (1)(A); and
(ii)the metrics by which the achievement of such outcomes shall be determined.
(B)Publication
The Secretary shall, not later than 30 days after completion of the requirement under subparagraph (A), publish the outcomes and metrics identified under such subparagraph.
(3)Metrics data collection
The Secretary shall require grantees under the programs described in paragraph (1)(A) to collect, and annually report to the Secretary, data based upon the metrics identified under paragraph (2)(A).
(4)Independent evaluation
For purposes of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—
(A)enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences; or
(B)enter into a contract or cooperative agreement with an entity that—
(i)is not an agency of the Federal Government; and
(ii)is qualified to conduct and evaluate research pertaining to opioid use and abuse and draw conclusions about overall opioid use and abuse on the basis of that research.
(5)Exception
If a program described in paragraph (1)(A) is subject to an evaluation similar to the evaluation required under such paragraph pursuant to another provision of Federal law, the Secretary may opt not to conduct an evaluation under such paragraph with respect to such program.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This section, the first time appearing in par. (1)(A), is section 701 of Pub. L. 114–198, July 22, 2016, 130 Stat. 739, which enacted this section, section 290aa–15 of this title, section 10706 and 10707 of Title 34, Crime Control and Law

Enforcement

, and provisions set out as a note under section 290aa–15 of this title. This Act, referred to in par. (1)(A), is Pub. L. 114–198, July 22, 2016, 130 Stat. 695, known as the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016. section 703 of the Act is not classified to the Code, and sections 704 to 707 of the Act enacted section 1320a–7n of this title, amended section 1395w–101, 1395w–104, 1395w–152, 1395ddd, 1395iii, 1396a, 1396r–8, 1396w–1, and 1397bb of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes under section 1395w–101 and 1396r–8 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 2016 Amendment note set out under section 201 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, and not as part of the Public Health Service Act which comprises this chapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 290aa–16

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 23, 2026

Release point: 119-110