# Solutions Not Stigmas Act of 2023

This bill gives federal money to medical schools and other health profession schools to teach their students better ways to handle substance abuse and chronic pain issues. The government would provide grants of up to $500,000 to schools that want to develop or improve their training programs in these areas, with the money available for three years at a time.

The bill focuses on making sure future doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and other healthcare providers get solid training in how to prevent substance abuse, recognize it early, and treat it effectively. Schools that receive funding would need to teach students about best practices for prescribing opioids and other addictive medications, give them hands-on experience working with patients in real clinical settings, and importantly, teach them how to treat people with substance use disorders without judgment or bias. The bill's title—"Solutions Not Stigmas"—reflects this last point: it's trying to change the culture in healthcare so providers see addiction as a medical problem to solve rather than something to look down on.

The bill would prioritize schools that partner with addiction medicine programs or residency training programs, and those that teach both doctors and other types of healthcare professionals together. The government would spend up to $5 million per year from 2024 through 2026 on these grants. This is mainly about improving education for future healthcare workers rather than directly affecting patients today, though the idea is that better-trained providers will eventually lead to better care for people struggling with substance abuse and chronic pain.

Solutions Not Stigmas Act of 2023

Kim, Andy

Solutions Not Stigmas Act of 2023 This bill permits the Health Resources and Services Administration to establish a grant program for health professional schools or training programs to develop curricula in substance use disorder treatment or chronic pain education. Among other issues, the curricula must address (1)&nbsp;the reduction of&nbsp;stigma and bias associated with substance use and chronic pain, (2) prevention and early intervention for unhealthy substance use, and (3) best practices for prescribing addictive substances.