Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§290kk–3 Educational Requirements for Personnel in Drug Treatment Programs

Title 42 › CHAPTER 6A — PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER III–A — SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION › Part J — Services Provided Through Religious Organizations › § 290kk–3

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

State and local governments must not treat training given by religious groups as worse than training from nonreligious groups when deciding if staff meet education or training rules. This applies to staff of drug treatment programs that have a proven three-year record, as long as the religious training covers the same basic material as the secular training. Congress found that rigid, one-size-fits-all education rules can weaken treatment programs and keep needed services from being provided.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §290kk–3

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

(a)Findings

The Congress finds that—

(1)establishing unduly rigid or uniform educational qualification for counselors and other personnel in drug treatment programs may undermine the effectiveness of such programs; and

(2)such educational requirements for counselors and other personnel may hinder or prevent the provision of needed drug treatment services.

(b)Nondiscrimination

In determining whether personnel of a program participant that has a record of successful drug treatment for the preceding three years have satisfied State or local requirements for education and training, a State or local government shall not discriminate against education and training provided to such personnel by a religious organization, so long as such education and training includes basic content substantially equivalent to the content provided by nonreligious organizations that the State or local government would credit for purposes of determining whether the relevant requirements have been satisfied.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 290kk–3

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110