District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0226 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3
4	4	Statement of Introduction
5	5	Place-Based Substance Use Disorder Outreach Amendment Act of 2025
6	6	April 11, 2025
7	7
8	8	Today, I am joined by Councilmembers Henderson, Pinto, Allen, Lewis George, Parker,
9	9	and White in introducing the “Place-Based Substance Use Disorder Outreach Amendment Act of
10	10	2025”, which establishes a targeted outreach program within the Department of Behavioral
11	11	Health to provide direct support, relationship development, and resource brokering to individuals
12	12	in need of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and behavioral health services in areas of high
13	13	need.
14	14	This measure would make permanent a successful pilot program that Council has funded
15	15	since 2021, the Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Services Targeted Outreach Grant,
16	16	which began at Columbia Heights Civic Plaza and has since expanded to locations in Wards 1, 5,
17	17	6, 7, and 8. Despite subsisting on one-time funding each year, this program has shown
18	18	considerable early successes – for example, a 51% decrease in nonfatal overdoses in the 500
19	19	block of T Street NW in less than a year.
20	20	That grant program was created in response to inadequate efforts to in address long-
21	21	standing SUD challenges in select areas throughout the city, especially in prominent public
22	22	spaces. Establishing a permanent program ensures that this important and successful work can
23	23	continue without service interruptions. The success of this pilot highlights the impact of place-
24	24	based strategies that provide consistent and intensive outreach and support to individuals.
25	25
26	26	DBH plans to open a second Stabilization Center in Columbia Heights in the Summer of
27	27	2026. The first DC Stabilization Center, located at 35 K Street NE, has been critical for adults
28	28	experiencing a substance use crisis, overdoses, and injuries. Enhancing the current SUD outreach
29	29	infrastructure in the city will be critical to the continued success of both centers.
30	30	_____________________________
31	31	Councilmember Christina Henderson
32	32	_____________________________
33	33	Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau
34	34	_____________________________
35	35	Councilmember Charles Allen
36	36	_____________________________
37	37	Councilmember Brooke Pinto
38	38
39	39
40	40
41	41	_____________________________
42	42	Councilmember Zachary Parker
43	43
44	44	_____________________________
45	45	Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr.
46	46
47	47	_____________________________
48	48	Councilmember Janeese Lewis George
49	49
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51	51
52	52
53	53	A BILL
54	54
55	55	_________________________
56	56
57	57	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
58	58	_________________________
59	59
60	60
61	61	To amend the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Act of 2013 to establish a program in the 1
62	62	Department of Behavioral Health for place-based substance use disorder outreach. 2
63	63	3
64	64	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 4
65	65	act may be cited as the “Place-Based Substance Use Disorder Outreach Amendment Act of 5
66	66	2025”. 6
67	67	Sec. 2. Title V, Subtitle J, Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Act of 2013 (D.C. Law 20-7
68	68	61, D.C. Official Code § 7-1141.01 et seq.) is amended as follows: 8
69	69	(a) Section 5112 (D.C. Official Code § 7-1141.02) is amended as follows: 9
70	70	(1) New paragraphs (5a) and (5b) are added to read as follows: 10
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73	73	2
74	74	“(5a) “Direct support” means providing behavioral health crises assessment and 11
75	75	interventions. 12
76	76	“(5b) "Placed-based outreach” means focused on a specific geographic area, such 13
77	77	as a neighborhoods or corridor. 14
78	78	(2) New paragraphs (7a) and (7b) are added to read as follows: 15
79	79	“(7a) “Relationship development” means establishing a trusting relationship 16
80	80	through regular interaction and incorporation of peer supports when possible that fosters open 17
81	81	communication and encourages active engagement with services for individuals using 18
82	82	substances. 19
83	83	“(7b) “Resource brokering” means providing support to help individuals access 20
84	84	supportive services and public benefits, including housing, food, Medicaid, SSI or SSDI, and 21
85	85	transportation services needed to access primary and behavioral health care. 22
86	86	(b) A new section 5117d is added to read as follows: 23
87	87	“Sec. 5117d. Place-Based Substance Use Disorder Outreach. 24
88	88	“(a) There is established, within the Department of Behavioral Health, the Place-Based 25
89	89	Substance Use Disorder Outreach Program (“Program”) to provide direct support, relationship 26
90	90	development, and resource brokering to individuals in need of substance use treatment and 27
91	91	behavioral health services in high-need areas, as designated by the Department. 28
92	92	“(b) The Department shall designate a specific location as a high-need area for no less 29
93	93	than 12 months, which may be renewed. In assessing and designating high-need areas, the 30
94	94	Department shall consider: 31
95	95	“(1) Within the preceding 6-month period, the occurrence of a disproportionately 32
96	96	high rate of: 33
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99	99	3
100	100	“(A) Substantiated reports of substance use in public spaces; or 34
101	101	“(B) Hospitalizations, overdoses, and deaths from substance use; 35
102	102	“(2) High reoccurrences of the same individuals using substances in the same 36
103	103	vicinity; 37
104	104	“(3) Areas with a high concentration high pedestrian and business interaction with 38
105	105	people experiencing SUD. 39
106	106	“(c) The Department may issue grants to experienced non-profit organizations to provide 40
107	107	services pursuant to this section. 41
108	108	“(d) Beginning 90 days after the applicability date of this section, and every 90 days 42
109	109	thereafter, the Department shall publish program performance data on a publicly-accessible 43
110	110	website, which shall be broken down by location and include the following information: 44
111	111	“(1) The number of individuals the program engaged through outreach efforts; 45
112	112	“(2) The number of individuals connected to substance use disorder treatment 46
113	113	programs, primary healthcare, mental health services, housing assistance, employment support, 47
114	114	or other services; 48
115	115	“(3) The number of overdose reversals or interventions performed using overdose 49
116	116	reversal medications; 50
117	117	“(4) The amount of harm reduction supplies distributed; 51
118	118	“(5) The number of educational sessions, workshops or prevention activities 52
119	119	delivered to target populations, and other performance data as determined by the Director.”. 53
120	120	Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 54
121	121	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 55
122	122	impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 56
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125	125	4
126	126	approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 57
127	127	Sec. 4. Effective date. 58
128	128	This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 59
129	129	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 60
130	130	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 61
131	131	24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 62
132	132	Columbia Register. 63