42 U.S.C. § 290ee–1: First responder training

Summary

The federal government will give grants to States, local governments, and Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations so first responders and other key community workers can carry and use drugs or devices legally allowed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to treat known or suspected overdoses in an emergency. Grant money must pay for the medicine or device, training on how to carry and use it, ways to refer people to follow-up treatment (including outreach workers), and training on safety around fentanyl, carfentanil, and other dangerous drugs. The government will also fund at least one grant for technical help and training on these topics. At least 20% of the grant money must go to places outside metropolitan areas, and the program must consider rural areas with high rates of opioid use disorder or few treatment services. Congress authorized $57,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030. Groups that apply must explain how they will measure results, how the program could be copied elsewhere, which local agencies they will work with, and how law enforcement will coordinate with State substance abuse and mental health agencies to point victims and families to treatment and recovery resources. The government will evaluate grants by counting how many people are equipped, how many overdoses are reversed, how many responses occur, whether victims and families get treatment information, and how many people are trained on fentanyl and similar drug safety. Other key community sectors include treatment providers, EMS, jail and reentry programs, health care providers, harm reduction groups, pharmacies, community health centers, tribal health facilities, and mental health providers.

Title 42, §290ee–1

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

(a)Program authorized

The Secretary shall make grants to States, local governmental entities, and Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations (as defined in section 5304 of title 25) to allow first responders and members of other key community sectors to administer a drug or device approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act [21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.] for emergency treatment of known or suspected overdose.

(b)Application

(1)In general

An entity seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary—

(A)that meets the criteria under paragraph (2); and

(B)at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require.

(2)Criteria

An entity, in submitting an application under paragraph (1), shall—

(A)describe the evidence-based methodology and outcome measurements that will be used to evaluate the program funded with a grant under this section, and specifically explain how such measurements will provide valid measures of the impact of the program;

(B)describe how the program could be broadly replicated if demonstrated to be effective;

(C)identify the governmental and community agencies with which the entity will coordinate to implement the program; and

(D)describe how the entity will ensure that law enforcement agencies will coordinate with their corresponding State substance abuse and mental health agencies to identify protocols and resources that are available to overdose victims and families, including information on treatment and recovery resources.

(c)Use of funds

An entity shall use a grant received under this section to—

(1)make a drug or device approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for emergency treatment of known or suspected overdose available to be carried and administered by first responders and members of other key community sectors;

(2)train and provide resources for first responders and members of other key community sectors on carrying and administering a drug or device approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for emergency treatment of known or suspected overdose;

(3)establish processes, protocols, and mechanisms for referral to appropriate treatment, which may include an outreach coordinator or team to connect individuals receiving overdose reversal drugs to followup services; and

(4)train and provide resources for first responders and members of other key community sectors on safety around fentanyl, carfentanil, and other dangerous licit and illicit drugs to protect themselves from exposure to such drugs and respond appropriately when exposure occurs.

(d)Technical assistance grants

The Secretary shall make a grant for the purpose of providing technical assistance and training on the use of a drug or device approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for emergency treatment of known or suspected overdose, mechanisms for referral to appropriate treatment, and safety around fentanyl, carfentanil, and other dangerous licit and illicit drugs.

(e)Geographic distribution

In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 20 percent of grant funds are awarded to eligible entities that are not located in metropolitan statistical areas (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget). The Secretary shall take into account the unique needs of rural communities, including communities with an incidence of individuals with opioid use disorder that is above the national average and communities with a shortage of prevention and treatment services.

(f)Evaluation

The Secretary shall conduct an evaluation of grants made under this section to determine—

(1)the number of first responders and members of other key community sectors equipped with a drug or device approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act [21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.] for emergency treatment of known or suspected overdose;

(2)the number of opioid, heroin, and other drug overdoses reversed by first responders and members of other key community sectors receiving training and supplies of a drug or device approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for emergency treatment of known or suspected overdose, through a grant received under this section;

(3)the number of responses to requests for services by the entity or subgrantee, to overdose;

(4)the extent to which overdose victims and families receive information about treatment services and available data describing treatment admissions; and

(5)the number of first responders and members of other key community sectors trained on safety around fentanyl, carfentanil, and other dangerous licit and illicit drugs.

(g)Other key community sectors

In this section, the term “other key community sectors” includes substance use disorder treatment providers, emergency medical services agencies, agencies and organizations working with prison and jail populations and offender reentry programs, health care providers, harm reduction groups, pharmacies, community health centers, tribal health facilities, and mental health providers.

(h)Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $57,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, referred to in subsecs. (a), (c)(1), (2), (d), and (f)(1), (2), is act June 25, 1938, ch. 675, 52 Stat. 1040, which is classified generally to chapter 9 (§ 301 et seq.) of Title 21, Food and Drugs. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 301 of Title 21 and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 290ee–1, act

July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title V, § 546, formerly Pub. L. 92–255, title IV, § 413, Mar. 21, 1972, 86 Stat. 84, as amended Pub. L. 96–181, § 8(a), (b)(1), Jan. 2, 1980, 93 Stat. 1313, 1314; Pub. L. 97–35, title IX, § 973(e), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 598; renumbered § 525 of act

July 1, 1944, and amended Apr. 26, 1983, Pub. L. 98–24, § 2(b)(16)(A), 97 Stat. 182; Oct. 27, 1986, Pub. L. 99–570, title VI, § 6002(b)(2), 100 Stat. 3207–159; renumbered § 546,

July 22, 1987, Pub. L. 100–77, title VI, § 611(2), 101 Stat. 516; Nov. 4, 1988, Pub. L. 100–607, title VIII, § 813(4), 102 Stat. 3171; Nov. 7, 1988, Pub. L. 100–628, title VI, § 613(4), 102 Stat. 3243; Aug. 16, 1989, Pub. L. 101–93, § 5(t)(1), 103 Stat. 615, which related to drug abuse among government and other employees, was omitted in the general revision of this part by Pub. L. 102–321.

Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–44, § 106(1), (2), substituted “Tribes and Tribal” for “tribes and tribal” and “approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed” for “approved or cleared” and struck out “opioid” before “overdose”. Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 119–44, § 106(2), wherever appearing, substituted “approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed” for “approved or cleared” and struck out “opioid” before “overdose”. Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 119–44, § 106(3)(A), (B), substituted “approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed” for “approved or cleared” and struck out “opioid” before “overdose”. Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 119–44, § 106(3)(A), (C), substituted “opioid, heroin, and other drug” for “opioid and heroin”, “approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed” for “approved or cleared”, and “overdose” for “opioid overdose”. Subsec. (f)(3). Pub. L. 119–44, § 106(3)(D), struck out “opioid and heroin” before “overdose”. Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 119–44, § 106(4), substituted “$57,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030” for “$36,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023”. 2018—Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 115–271, § 7002(1), added par. (4). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–271, § 7002(2), substituted “mechanisms for referral to appropriate treatment, and safety around fentanyl, carfentanil, and other dangerous licit and illicit drugs” for “and mechanisms for referral to appropriate treatment for an entity receiving a grant under this section”. Subsec. (f)(5). Pub. L. 115–271, § 7002(3), added par. (5). Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 115–271, § 7002(5), added subsec. (g). Former subsec. (g) redesignated (h). Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 115–271, § 7002(4), (6), redesignated subsec. (g) as (h) and substituted “$36,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023” for “$12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021”.

§290ee–1 First Responder Training