Overview
Title
To authorize grants to implement school-community partnerships for preventing substance use and misuse among youth.
ELI5 AI
H. R. 894 wants to give money to teams that work with schools to help keep kids away from drugs, and each team can get up to $75,000 every year, but they have to use this money alongside what they already have, not instead of it. The plan has $7 million a year to help many schools from 2026 until 2031.
Summary AI
H. R. 894, titled the “Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act of 2025”, aims to create a program for granting funds to coalitions that partner with local schools to prevent substance use and misuse among youth. The bill allows these coalitions to apply for grants to implement drug prevention programs tailored to the needs of their community. Each grant cannot exceed $75,000 per year, and it should supplement, not replace, existing funds for drug prevention programs. The bill authorizes $7 million annually from 2026 to 2031 to support this initiative.
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AnalysisAI
Overview of the Bill
House Bill H.R. 894, titled the "Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act of 2025," aims to combat substance use and misuse among youth by authorizing grants to foster partnerships between schools and drug prevention coalitions. These grants are intended to implement tailored and effective drug prevention programs at the local level. The bill outlines the eligibility criteria for receiving funds, the specific use of these funds, and the financial limitations for grant amounts. It also specifies the responsibilities of the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and includes provisions for evaluating the effectiveness of funded programs.
Significant Issues
Several issues arise in the bill's framework that could influence its execution and effectiveness:
Ambiguity in Program Definition: The term "effective drug prevention programs" potentially lacks precision, leaving it open to varied interpretation by different entities. This can result in a lack of consistency in how programs are designed and evaluated for effectiveness across diverse settings.
Funding Limitations: The cap of $75,000 per fiscal year for each grant might be insufficient for some programs, depending on their scope and required resources. Such a limitation could restrain comprehensive initiatives needed to address substance abuse challenges effectively.
Partnership Restrictions: The limitation that only one eligible entity can receive a grant to partner with a specific school might inhibit broader collaboration or innovation in drug prevention strategies. This could mean missed opportunities for promising programs that require more robust partnerships or multiple collaborating entities at a single school.
Unclear Evaluation Criteria: The bill references an external law for evaluation criteria without elucidating the details, potentially leading to inconsistent assessments of program success and difficulties in measuring outcomes uniformly.
Administrative Cost Concerns: Capping administrative costs at 8% of the total funds may present challenges in adequately administering and overseeing the grant program. This could strain resources necessary for ensuring accountability and proper management.
Potential Impacts on the Public and Stakeholders
The bill has the potential to positively impact public health by actively engaging local communities and schools in drug prevention initiatives. By targeting youth, the initiative seeks to curb substance misuse early, which could have long-term benefits on community health and safety.
For Schools: Schools stand to benefit by receiving tools and resources necessary to combat substance-related issues directly affecting their student populations. This can foster healthier school environments conducive to learning and development.
For Local Communities: Community coalitions involved in drug prevention may see an increase in support and resources. However, the limitations on grant amounts and eligible entities may restrict some coalitions' ability to execute comprehensive or multi-faceted programs.
For Policy Makers and Administrators: They may face challenges in balancing the funding restrictions with program expectations, which could influence the strategic planning and delivery of services. Adequate training and guidance will be crucial to navigate the administrative requirements effectively.
Overall, while H.R. 894 presents a strategic approach to addressing substance use among youth, its practical implementation might require adjustments to address its limitations. Engaging with stakeholders to refine aspects of the bill could enhance its efficacy and reach.
Financial Assessment
The bill, known as the “Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act of 2025,” authorizes financial allocations aimed at preventing substance use and misuse among youth by developing school-community partnerships. It includes specific provisions on grant amounts and overarching appropriations.
Summary of Financial Provisions
The bill authorizes the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to award grants to eligible coalitions that form partnerships with local schools. Each grant is capped at $75,000 per fiscal year. This financial constraint is designed to ensure that funds are adequately distributed across various communities, but it may be insufficient for comprehensive program needs in larger or more densely populated areas.
In addition, the bill provides an overarching authorization for appropriations. It allocates $7 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to support these initiatives. This total budget is intended to sustain multiple programs over several years, encouraging the establishment and maintenance of effective drug prevention measures.
Financial Allocations and Related Issues
One significant concern is the $75,000 cap on annual grants. Given the potential complexity and scope of drug prevention programs, especially in communities with higher drug misuse rates, this amount might be inadequate. The limitation could restrict the ability of eligible entities to develop robust programs or to tailor initiatives effectively to community needs, as identified in the issues section.
Another issue arises from the bill's authorization of $7 million annually. Although this is a considerable sum, the demand for funds might exceed availability, especially if multiple coalitions across the country seek to establish school-community partnerships. This scenario could potentially limit the number of initiatives funded.
Additionally, the bill allows for 8 percent of the appropriated funds to be used for administrative expenses, which may be problematic if administrative costs exceed this limit. If oversight and execution demand more resources than anticipated, there could be negative impacts on program implementation and accountability.
Finally, the mandate that grants must supplement and not supplant existing funds introduces financial oversight challenges. Ensuring that newly awarded grant funds are not replacing other federal or non-federal funds necessitates stringent monitoring, which could be resource-intensive and complex, possibly leading to compliance issues.
Overall, while the financial allocations in the bill are clear, they come with restrictions that could affect how effectively the programs achieve their intended outcomes. Proper execution and detailed oversight mechanisms will be essential to maximize the benefits of the authorized appropriations.
Issues
The term 'effective drug prevention programs' in Section 2(a)(3) might be subject to broad interpretation, as the criteria provided can be implemented in various ways, leading to varying results. This could impact the effectiveness and comparability of funded programs across different entities.
The limitation on grant amounts to not exceed $75,000 per fiscal year in Section 2(b)(2)(A) may not be sufficient for some eligible entities, considering the potential size and scope of necessary drug prevention programs. This limitation could hinder the development of comprehensive and impactful initiatives.
The restriction in Section 2(b)(2)(B) that not more than one eligible entity may receive a grant to establish a partnership with a specific local school could limit collaboration or prevent multiple initiatives from being funded, potentially reducing opportunities to enhance program effectiveness.
The application of Section 1032(a)(6) of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 in Section 2(f) is referenced without specific text, leaving ambiguity in understanding the evaluation criteria or processes to be followed. This lack of clarity could lead to inconsistent evaluations of program success.
The delegation of authority to the National Drug Control Program agency in Section 2(c) lacks specific guidelines on execution and oversight, potentially resulting in discrepancies in grant implementation across different agencies.
Administrative costs being capped at 8 percent of the funds in Section 2(g)(2) may create issues if the overhead required for effectively managing and auditing the grant program exceeds this limit, impacting program efficiency and accountability.
The application process described in Section 2(d) gives considerable discretion to the Director on required information, which may lead to inconsistencies in grant applications and approvals, affecting fairness and transparency.
The 'supplement not supplant' clause in Section 2(e)(2) lacks detailed guidance on ensuring compliance, which could be difficult to monitor and enforce effectively, potentially leading to misuse of grant funds.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of the bill is the short title, which states that this law can be referred to as the "Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act of 2025".
2. Grant program Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The text outlines a grant program where the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy can provide funds to coalitions that partner with local schools to implement drug prevention programs. These grants aim to support strategies tailored to the needs of students to prevent and reduce substance use, with a maximum of $75,000 per grant per year, and $7 million authorized per year from 2026 to 2031 for the initiative.
Money References
- AMOUNT.—The amount of a grant under this subsection may not exceed $75,000 for a fiscal year.
- (g) Authorization of appropriations.— (1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031.