Cantwell Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Take WA-Developed, Low-Barrier Fentanyl Treatment Pilot Program Nationwide

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) reintroduced the Fatal Overdose Reduction Act, a bipartisan bill that would expand a Washington-state-developed, low-barrier fentanyl treatment pilot program across the United States.
“The fentanyl crisis continues to kill and tear apart communities all across the country,”said Sen. Cantwell.“We need to be protecting Medicaid, the largest payer of substance use treatment in the United States, to ensure we are using every tool possible to fight this epidemic. This bipartisan bill would leverage Medicaid to expand a locally developed community treatment center model that has proven remarkably successful at reducing fatal overdoses.”
The Health Engagement Hub model was developed byDr. Caleb Banta-Greenat the University of Washington. The innovative hub model provides a one-stop shop where substance use disorder patients can receive near-immediate FDA-approved treatment (buprenorphine) and access primary care, harm reduction, and other social services without an appointment.
Research datafrom UW shows that, among 825 participants, this community-based, medication-first approach decreased overdose mortality rates by 68%.
READ MORE:
The Seattle Times -- Federal bill to reduce opioid deaths deserves bipartisan support
The Washington State Standard -- Could WA’s health ‘hub’ model treating opioid addiction go nationwide?
Oregon Public Broadcasting -- Opioid hub treatment model shows success in Washington, could come to Oregon
In 2023, the Washington State Legislature funded a $4 million state pilot program to establish health engagement hubs because the model demonstrates great potential in addressing the opioid epidemic.
In May 2024 – the same day Sen. Cantwell and Sen. Cassidy originally introduced the Fatal Overdose Reduction Act -- Dr. Banta-Green addressed Sen. Cantwell and colleagues about the effectiveness of the Health Engagement Hub model during a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee titled “Front Lines of the Fentanyl Crisis: Supporting Communities and Combating Addiction through Prevention and Treatment.”
“We really need to allow people to access care rapidly and stay engaged. The process of recovery […] for opioids and stimulants, it's about three years. And during that process of recovery, people are often returning to use,”Dr. Banta-Green said.“We need a place that people can start today and come back tomorrow, no matter what.”
That hearing can be watchedHERE; a transcript of Sen. Cantwell and Dr. Banta-Green’s remarks isHERE.
The Fatal Overdose Reduction Act would allow existing and qualifying entities to receive a Health Engagement Hub certification, similar to the process for mental health treatment centers to be designated asCertified Community Behavioral Health Centers. Under this bipartisan bill, certified Health Engagement Hubs would receive enhanced Medicaid payments for providing services including substance use disorder treatment, primary care, and case management. Certified hubs would also operate under a “no wrong doors” approach and offer services in a drop-in manner without prior appointment or proof of payment.
To qualify as a Health Engagement Hub, an organization would need to offer:
In addition, a Health Engagement Hub must meet certain minimum staffing requirements:
Read the bill textHERE.
In 2023 and 2024, Sen. Cantwell traveled across the State of Washington to 10 communities -- Tacoma, Everett, Tri-Cities, Seattle, Spokane, Vancouver, Port Angeles, Walla Walla, Yakima, and Longview – hearing from people on the front lines of the fentanyl crisis, including first responders, law enforcement, health care providers, and people with firsthand experience of fentanyl addiction.  She also participated in the National Tribal Opioid Summit, a gathering of approximately 900 tribal leaders, health care workers, and first responders from across the country hosted by the Tulalip Tribes following the first-ever statewide summit hosted by the Lummi Nation.  Sen. Cantwell has since used what she heard in those roundtables and related events to craft and champion specific legislative solutions, including:
In addition, Sen.Cantwell voted for a series of federal funding billsallocating $1.69 billion to combat fentanyl and other illicit drugs coming into the United States, including an additional $385.2 million to increase security at U.S. ports of entry, with the goal of catching more illegal drugs like fentanyl before they make it across the border.  Critical funding will go toward Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology at land and sea ports of entries. NII technologies—like large-scale X-ray and Gamma ray imaging systems, as well as a variety of portable and handheld technologies—allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to help detect and prevent contraband from being smuggled into the country without disrupting flow at the border.
A full timeline of Sen. Cantwell’s actions to combat the fentanyl crisis is availableHERE.