New Act Prioritizes Long-Acting Injections for Both Mental Health and Addiction Treatment

The newly proposed Treatment Continuity Act of 2025 is aiming to change how federal grants are handed out for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment by officially bringing serious mental illness (SMI) into the spotlight. Essentially, this bill expands Section 509 of the Public Health Service Act, making it clear that federal support needs to cover both SUD and SMI equally. It’s a move toward recognizing that these issues often run together and should be treated that way.

The Prescription for Priority Funding

If you’ve ever tried to navigate the healthcare system for addiction or mental health issues, you know access to the right treatment can be a nightmare. This bill tries to fix that by directing grant money toward very specific, high-impact services. Under the new rules, organizations applying for these federal grants must prioritize funding for things like access to long-acting injectable medications—the kind that can be administered less frequently than daily pills—for both SUD and SMI. This also includes covering the necessary lab testing, counseling, and specialized training for providers administering these complex medications. For the person trying to stay on track, this could mean fewer trips to the pharmacy or clinic and a more stable treatment plan, which is a huge win for continuity of care.

Accountability by the Numbers

One of the most interesting parts of this bill is the push for better accountability. Starting one year after the law is enacted, the Secretary is required to send Congress an annual report detailing the outcomes of these grant programs. This isn't just about counting how many people were served; the report must specifically track whether treatment requirements, as assessed by a clinician, have been met or if “substantial progress” has been made toward meeting them. This moves the focus from simply providing services to actually measuring clinical results. However, the term “substantial progress” is a bit vague, and how different programs define that could vary widely, potentially making it tricky to compare results accurately across the board.

Who Feels the Change?

For individuals dealing with SMI or SUD, this bill is a clear benefit, potentially opening up access to advanced, evidence-based treatments that might have been expensive or unavailable before. Think of a working parent who struggles to make it to daily appointments; a long-acting injectable treatment could be a game-changer for stability. On the flip side, this focused approach means that grant recipients who previously used Section 509 funds for programs not centered on long-acting injectables or SMI might see their funding priorities shift. While the overall goal is beneficial—improving treatment access—it could mean certain existing programs need to pivot their focus or risk losing out on federal dollars. Ultimately, the bill aims to ensure that federal investment is directly tied to integrated, effective treatment options for two of the most pressing public health challenges.