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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-320
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
MAY 28, 2026
ToamendtheDepartmentofBehavioralHealthEstablishmentActof2013toestablisha
programforplace-basedsubstanceusedisorderoutreach.
BEIT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Thatthis
actmay be citedasthe“Place-BasedSubstanceUse DisorderOutreachAmendment Act of
2026”.
See2.TheDepartmentofBehavioralHealthEstablishmentActof2013,effective
December24,2013(D.C.Law20-61;D.C.OfficialCode§7-1141.01etseq.),isamendedby
addinganewPartCtoreadasfollows:“PARTC.
“See.5120d.Definitions.
“Forthepurposesofthispart,theterm:
(1)“Directsupport”meansbehavioralhealtherisesassessmentandintervention
services.(2)“High-needarea”meansadefinedgeographicarea,whichmayincludea
neighborhood,corridor,orclusterofblocks,designatedbytheDepartmentasexperiencinga
disproportionatelyhighconcentrationofsubstanceusedisorderactivity,includingopioiduse,
overdoses,orrelatedbehavioralhealthserviceneeds,basedonavailablepublichealthdata,
serviceutilizationdata,orotherrelevantindicators.
(3)“Relationshipdevelopment”meansregularinteractions,andthe
incorporationofpeersupports,whenpossible,thatfosteropencommunicationsandencourage
activeengagementwithbehavioralhealthservicesforindividualsusingsubstances.
(4)“Resourcebrokering”meansassistancewithaccessingsupportiveservices
andpublicbenefits,includinghousing,food,Medicaid,SocialSecurityIncomeorSocial
SecurityDisabilityInsurance,andtransportationservicesneededtoaccessprimaryand
behavioralhealthcare.
“Sec,5120e,EstablishmentofthePlace-BasedSubstanceUseDisorderOutreach
Program.
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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(a)There isestablished,withintheDepartment,thePlace-BasedSubstanceUse
DisorderOutreachProgram(“Program”),whichshallissuegrantsto501(¢)(3)not-for-profit
organizationswithexperienceinprovidingdirectsupports,relationshipdevelopment,and
resourcebrokeringtoindividualsinneedofsubstanceusetreatmentandbehavioralhealth
servicesinhigh-needareas.
“(b)(1)TheDepartment,inconsultationwiththegrantees,maydesignateahigh-need
areaforaperiodoftimetobedeterminedbytheDepartmentbasedonprogrammaticneeds,but
nottoexceed180days.
“(2)Notwithstandingparagraph(1)ofthissubsection,theDepartmentmay
designateahigh-needareaforaperiodnottoexceed90daysiftheDepartmentdeterminesthat
emergent circumstanceswarrantimmediate intervention.
“(3)TheDepartmentmaymodifythegeographicboundariesofahigh-needarea
ifdataindicatesthatsubstanceuse activityhas shiftedtonearbylocations.
“(c)Indesignatingahigh-needarea,theDepartmentshallconsiderwhether,withinthe
preceding6-monthperiod,therewasadisproportionatelyhighrateof:
(1)Substantiatedreportsofsubstanceuseinpublicspaces;
(2)Hospitalizations,overdoses,anddeathsfromsubstanceuse;
“(3)Highreoccurrencesofthesameindividualsusingsubstancesinthesame
vicinity;or
“(4)Areaswithahighconcentrationofpedestrianandbusinessinteractionwithpeopleexperiencingsubstanceusedisorder.“(d)Foreachdesignatedhigh-needarea,theDepartmentshallwithin45daysofthedesignation:
“(1)Notifylocalbusinesses,businessimprovementdistricts,andrelevantcommunity-basedorganizationsofthehigh-needareadesignationandprovideinformationon:“(A)ThepurposeandscopeoftheProgram,includingtheservicesandsupportsavailable;
“(B)Howtocontactthegranteeassignedtothearea;and“(C)Howtorequestservicesorsupportforindividualswhomayneedsubstanceusedisordertreatmentorbehavioralhealthservices;and
(2)Makereasonableeffortstoensurethatcontactinformationfortheassignedgranteeismaintainedandupdatedthroughoutthedesignationperiod.“(©Beginning6monthsafterthispartisapplicable,andannuallythereafter,theDepartmentshallpublishprogramperformancedata,foreachdesignatedhigh-needarea,ona
publiclyaccessiblewebsiteandreportthatincludes:“(1)Programperformancemetrics,brokendownbylocation,includingthe:
“(A)Numberofindividualsengagedthroughoutreachefforts;“(B)Numberandpercentageofindividualsengagedmorethanonceand3ormoretimes; “(C)Numberofindividualsconnectedtosubstanceusedisordertreatment
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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
programs,primaryhealthcare,mentalhealthservices,housingassistance,employmentsupport,
orotherservices;«(D)Numberofindividualswhosuccessfullyattendedatleastone
appointmentorintakefollowingreferral,totheextentsuchdataisavailable;
“(B)Averagelengthoftimebetweeninitialoutreachengagementand
connectiontoservices;
(PF)Numberofoverdosereversalsorinterventionsperformedusing
overdosereversalmedications;
“(G)Amountofharmreductionsuppliesdistributed;and
“(H)Numberofeducationalsessions,workshops,orpreventionactivities
deliveredtotargetpopulations,andotherperformancedataasdeterminedbytheDirector;
“(2)A summaryofbarrierstoindividualsreceivingservicesandthestepstaken
orplannedtoaddressthosebarriers,including:
“(A)Servicecapacitylimitations;
“(B)Eligibilitybarriers;
“(C)Individualrefusalordisengagement;and
“(D)Delaysrelatedtohousing,insurance,oridentificationrequirements;
and “(3)Foreachdesignatedhigh-needarea,anarrativedescribing:
(A)Observedchangesinsubstanceuseactivitywithinthearea;
“(B)Anydisplacementofactivitytonearbylocations;
“(C)Changesmadetooutreachstrategies;
“(D)Outreachandengagementwithlocalbusinesses,business
improvementdistricts,andcommunity-basedorganizations;and
“(B)Feedbackreceivedfromcommunitymembers,businesses,orservice
providers,includinganyeffortsmadetosolicitsuchfeedback.
*(f)TheDepartmentshallestablishregularinteragencycoordinationmeetings,or
developwrittenprotocolstosupportcollaboration,with:
“(1)TheMetropolitanPoliceDepartment;
(2)TheDepartmentofHumanServices;
“(3)TheChildandFamilyServicesAgency;
“(4)TheDepartmentofHealth;
“(5)TheOfficeoftheDeputyMayorforPlanningandEconomicDevelopment;
and (6)AnyotheragencytheDepartmentdeemsappropriate.”.
Seo.3.Applicability.
(a)Thisactshallapplyuponthedateofinclusionofitsfiscaleffectinanapprovedbudget
andfinancialplan.
(b)TheChiefFinancialOfficershallcertifythedateoftheinclusionofthefiscaleffectin
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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
anapprovedbudgetandfinancialplan,andprovidenoticetotheBudgetDirectoroftheCouncil
ofthecertification.
(@)(1)TheBudgetDirectorshallcausethenoticeofthecertificationtobepublishedinthe
DistrictofColumbiaRegister.
(Q)Thedateofpublicationofthenoticeofthecertificationshallnotaffectthe
applicabilityofthisact.
Sec.4.Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementinthecommitteereportasthefiscal
impactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,
approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.478).
Sec.5.Effectivedate.
‘ThisactshalltakeeffectafterapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobythe
Mayor,ationbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreview
asprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember
24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(e)(1)).
ED
MAY 28, 2026
[X]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
COUNCILOFTHE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
[XTACTION FirstReading,CC
{X]VOTEDATE March31,2026
[xTVOICEVOTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
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CERTIFICATIONRECORD
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DocketNo,826-0226
! [X]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
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{X1VOTEDATE May5,2026
[X1VOICEVOTE ‘Approved:
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CERTIFICATIONRECORD
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