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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§290ee–5a Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams

Title 42 › Chapter 6A— PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter III–A— SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION › Part D— Miscellaneous Provisions Relating to Substance Abuse and Mental Health › § 290ee–5a

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary can give money to states, local, or tribal governments to start or grow Sobriety Treatment And Recovery Team (START) programs or similar efforts. These programs test whether teaming social workers or mentors with families that face both substance use problems and child abuse or neglect helps. Grant funds can pay for staff training, more treatment and drug testing, better information sharing among agencies and courts, and program evaluation or technical help. Grantees must only serve families with an open child welfare case where substance use was a reason for the case. They must coordinate these grants with any grant under section 629g(f) that focuses on children affected by substance abuse. The Secretary can keep up to 5 percent of the funds to pay the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare for technical assistance.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §290ee–5a

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

(a)The Secretary may make grants to States, units of local government, or tribal governments to establish or expand Sobriety Treatment And Recovery Team (referred to in this section as “START”) or other similar programs to determine the effectiveness of pairing social workers or mentors with families that are struggling with a substance use disorder and child abuse or neglect in order to help provide peer support, intensive treatment, and child welfare services to such families.
(b)A grant awarded under this section may be used for one or more of the following activities:
(1)Training eligible staff, including social workers, social services coordinators, child welfare specialists, substance use disorder treatment professionals, and mentors.
(2)Expanding access to substance use disorder treatment services and drug testing.
(3)Enhancing data sharing with law enforcement agencies, child welfare agencies, substance use disorder treatment providers, judges, and court personnel.
(4)Program evaluation and technical assistance.
(c)A State, unit of local government, or tribal government receiving a grant under this section shall—
(1)serve only families for which—
(A)there is an open record with the child welfare agency; and
(B)substance use disorder was a reason for the record or finding described in paragraph (1); 11 So in original. Probably should be “subparagraph (A)”. and
(2)coordinate any grants awarded under this section with any grant awarded under section 629g(f) of this title focused on improving outcomes for children affected by substance abuse.
(d)The Secretary may reserve not more than 5 percent of funds provided under this section to provide technical assistance on the establishment or expansion of programs funded under this section from the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 290ee–10 of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 117–328.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 290ee–5a

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60