TennesseeTennessee directs opioid fund money to crisis care and treatment
Tennessee's law calls for opioid fund money to support adult mobile crisis care and treatment for uninsured people with both mental health and substance use disorders.
What it does
The law calls for $25 million from the opioid fund in fiscal year 2026–2027 for treatment for uninsured people with both mental health and substance use disorders.
For opioid fund payments received on or after July 1, 2026, 10% remaining after required county payments and specified allocations must support treatment for uninsured people with both mental health and substance use disorders.
The law calls for $12.3 million from the opioid fund for TennCare, spread over three fiscal years, to supplement payments to nonprofit providers of adult mobile crisis services.
Argument forDedicated treatment money could help uninsured people with both conditions get crisis care by supporting more treatment space and services.
Argument againstReserving 10% of available money for these treatment services could leave the council less flexibility to fund other opioid recovery needs.
More detail
The law calls for the Tennessee opioid abatement council to send $25 million to the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The money supports crisis care, live-in treatment, and hospital treatment for uninsured people who have both mental health and substance use disorders. The allocation uses opioid fund money that is not required to go to counties. The money must support more access, treatment capacity, and services that help people stabilize. It must add to existing state funding and leave county and municipal opioid settlement payments unaffected. The law took effect July 1, 2026. This allocation applies to fiscal year 2026–2027.
The opioid abatement council must send 10% of the remaining available money to a separate opioid fund account for the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The account supports crisis care, live-in treatment, and hospital treatment for uninsured people with both mental health and substance use disorders. The calculation excludes the $25 million treatment allocation and the $12.3 million TennCare allocation and accounts for required county payments. The account can fund only the specified treatment purposes. This money must add to existing state funding and leave county and municipal opioid settlement payments unaffected. Transfers to the separate account must occur when county payments are made.
The law calls for the opioid abatement council to send $12.3 million to the Bureau of TennCare to supplement adult mobile crisis payments. The money supplements monthly payments based on enrollment to contracted nonprofit providers offering adult mobile crisis services for TennCare enrollees across Tennessee. The allocation uses opioid fund money that is not required to go to counties. The law calls for TennCare to consult the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations on how to divide the money. The money must add to existing state funding and leave county and municipal opioid settlement payments unaffected. TennCare is to distribute $4.1 million in each of fiscal years 2026–2027, 2027–2028, and 2028–2029. The law took effect July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 18Pub. Ch. 960Latest
- May 18Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
- May 7Signed by Governor Bill Lee.Became Law
- May 6Transmitted to Governor for his action.To Governor
- May 5Signed by Senate SpeakerMajor
- Apr 30Signed by H. SpeakerMajor
- Apr 29Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.Minor
- Apr 23Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/23/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 23Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 2 - SA1078)
- Apr 23Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 3 - SA1079)
- Apr 23Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0830)
- Apr 23Passed Senate, Ayes 28, Nays 0Passed Senate
- Apr 22Received from House, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Apr 21H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0996)Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/21/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 21H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA1150)Major
- Apr 21Passed H., as am., Ayes 88, Nays 0, PNV 0Passed House
- Apr 21Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.Minor
- Apr 16
- Vote recorded HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026 4/14/2026. Result: fail.Lower
- Apr 14Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee 4/14/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 14Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/14/2026
- Apr 14H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026
- Apr 8Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/8/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 8Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/14/2026
- Apr 6Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 1Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/1/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 1Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means SubcommitteeMinor
- Apr 1Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026
- Mar 25Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026
- Mar 23Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE CIVIL JUSTICE SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee 3/23/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 19Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/23/2026
- Mar 18Taken off notice for cal in s/c Public Service Subcommittee of State & Local Government Committee
- Mar 11Sponsor change.Minor
- Mar 11Sponsor(s) withdrawn.Minor
- Mar 11Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/18/2026
- Feb 2P2C, ref. to State & Local Government CommitteeMinor
- Feb 2Assigned to s/c Public Service SubcommitteeMinor
- Jan 22Intro., P1C.Minor
- Jan 21Filed for introductionIntroduced
Mental HealthHealthcareTaxes & Budget