BACKGROUND COMPREHENSIVE ADDICTION AND RECOVERY ACT OF 2014 S. 2839

Transcription

1 BACKGROUND COMPREHENSIVE ADDICTION AND RECOVERY ACT OF 2014 S On September 17 th, Senators Whitehouse (D-RI) and Portman (R-OH) with Senators Leahy (D-VT), Ayotte (R-NH) and Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced S. 2839, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an average of 110 people per day die from drug overdoses. These are our mothers, fathers, sons and wives and all too often, adolescents, veterans and women. The aim of the legislation is to stem the rising tide of opiate addiction. The proposed law accomplishes this by authorizing new programs that will embrace recovery support, prevention, law enforcement and treatment strategies. For the first time ever, the legislation proposes, over a 6 year period, approximately $42 million for expansion of recovery high schools, collegiate recovery programs and recovery community organizations. Similar legislation is expected to be introduced in the House. 1

2 GRASSROOTS ALERT ACT NOW! On September 17 th, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced S. 2839, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of (Click here to read the bill and to see the current list of cosponsors.) The bill seeks to curb the opiate epidemic by authorizing new programs that embrace proven recovery support, prevention, law enforcement and treatment strategies. Over $40 million in funding over 6 years is proposed for recovery community organizations, recovery high schools and collegiate recovery programs. 2 Key Action Steps To Take to Support the Bill! 1. Local, state and national organizations should sign on to the below sign on letter being sent to the Chairman and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees by ing Jessica Nickle at jessica@brimleygroup.com by November 12. Although a House bill has not yet been introduced, the letter is addressed to both Senate and House chairmen to encourage House introduction of a companion bill. 2. Ask your Senators to cosponsor the legislation (click here to see if they ve already sponsored the bill). Click here to find contact information for your Senators. Call their offices and ask which staffer handles healthcare issues. Use the above talking points and the below draft to ask the Senator s health staff person to cosponsor the legislation. (Tip: Senate addresses use the following format: first_last@senatorsname.senate.gov (i.e. Mickey_Mouse@smith.senate.gov)) o Draft seeking co-sponsorship of S Dear [Insert Staffers Name], I am writing to respectfully request that the Senator cosponsor the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2014 (S. 2839). The legislation seeks to curb the national prescription drug and heroin epidemic by investing in proven recovery support, prevention, law enforcement and treatment strategies. A one page summary of the bill is below. Please let either Lara Quint (Lara_Quint@judiciary-dem.senate.gov) or Megan Harrington (megan_harrington@portman.senate.gov) know if the Senator can cosponsor this life-saving legislation. 2

3 Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2014 Summary The abuse of heroin and prescription painkillers is having a devastating effect on public health and safety in communities across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdoses now surpass automobile accidents as the leading cause of injury-related death for Americans between the ages of 25 and 64. More than 100 Americans die as a result of overdose in this country every day. We know that addiction is a treatable disease, but we also know that only about ten percent of those who need treatment are receiving it. Discoveries in the science of addiction have led to advances in drug abuse treatment that can help people stop abusing drugs and resume their productive lives. We know from researchers, the law enforcement community, and treatment providers that the most effective way to address the challenges posed is to initiate a comprehensive response to the twin epidemics of opioid and heroin addiction that includes prevention, law enforcement strategies, addressing overdoses, expansion of evidence-based treatment, and support for those in, or seeking, recovery. While heroin and opioid abuse are a key concern, we must move beyond simple responses to drug trends and emerging threats, and concentrate instead on improving addiction treatment and recovery nationwide. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2014 will: Expand prevention and educational efforts particularly aimed at teens, parents and other caretakers, and aging populations to prevent the abuse of opioids and heroin and to promote treatment and recovery. Expand the availability of naloxone to law enforcement agencies and other first responders to help in the reversal of overdoses to save lives. Expand resources to identify and treat incarcerated individuals suffering from addiction disorders promptly by collaborating with criminal justice stakeholders and by providing evidence-based treatment. Expand disposal sites for unwanted prescription medications to keep them out of the hands of our children and adolescents. Launch an evidence-based opioid and heroin treatment and intervention program to expand best practices throughout the country. Strengthen prescription drug monitoring programs to help states monitor and track prescription drug diversion and to help at-risk individuals access services. Only through a comprehensive approach that leverages evidence-based law enforcement and health care services, including treatment, can we stop and reverse current trends. For more information, please contact Lara Quint at lara_quint@judiciary-dem.senate.gov or Megan Harrington at megan_harrington@portman.senate.gov 3

4 ORGANIZATIONAL SIGN ON LETTER SUPPORTING S September 17, 2014 The Honorable Patrick Leahy Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary 224 Dirksen Senate Office Building The Honorable Charles E. Grassley Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary 152 Dirksen Senate Office Building The Honorable Robert Goodlatte Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary Rayburn House Office Building The Honorable John Conyers Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary Rayburn House Office Building Dear Chairmen Leahy and Goodlatte, Ranking Members Grassley and Conyers: We write in support of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2014, introduced by Senators Whitehouse, Portman, Ayotte, and Klobuchar, S.2839, which will make important advancements to effectively address the growing epidemic of drug abuse in the United States. Heroin use and misuse of prescription painkillers is having a devastating effect on public health and safety in communities across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdoses now surpass automobile accidents as the leading cause of injury-related death for Americans between the ages of 25 and 64. More than 100 Americans die as a result of overdose in this country every day. We know that addiction is a treatable disease, but we also know that only about 10 percent of those who need treatment are receiving it. Discoveries in the science of addiction have led to advances in drug abuse treatment that can help people stop abusing drugs and resume their productive lives. We know from researchers, the law enforcement community, and treatment providers that the most effective way to address the challenges posed is to initiate a comprehensive response to the twin epidemics of opioid and heroin addiction that includes prevention, law enforcement strategies, preventing overdose deaths, expansion of evidence-based treatment, and support for those in, or seeking, recovery. 4

5 The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2014 will: Expand prevention and educational efforts particularly aimed at teens, parents and other caretakers, and aging populations to prevent the abuse of opioids and heroin and to promote treatment and recovery. Expand the availability of naloxone to law enforcement agencies and other first responders to help in the reversal of overdoses to save lives. Expand resources to identify and treat incarcerated individuals suffering from addiction disorders promptly by collaborating with criminal justice stakeholders and by providing evidence-based treatment. Expand disposal sites for unwanted prescription medications to keep them out of the hands of our children and adolescents. Launch an evidence-based opioid and heroin treatment and interventions program. While we have services and medications that can help treat addiction, there is a critical need to get the training and resources necessary to expand use of evidence-based treatment services and medications to assist in treatment and recovery throughout the country. Strengthen prescription drug monitoring programs to help states monitor and track prescription drug diversion and to help at-risk individuals access services. Only through a comprehensive approach, such as that included in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2014, that leverages evidence-based law enforcement and health care services, including treatment, can we stop and reverse current trends. The goal is to implement these programs to test and demonstrate strategies without creating new programs and including the required offsets. The cost of the bill is kept low at approximately 65 million per year with no impact on mandatory spending. We are grateful for your leadership and urge all Members of Congress to support The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of Sincerely, 5

6 1. Alkermes, Inc. 2. American Correctional Association 3. Association of Recovery Schools 4. Backstretch Employees Service Team-Elmont NY 5. Behavioral Enhancement & Substance Abuse Medicine Treatment-Deer Park NY 6. Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America 7. Employee Assistance Professionals Association, Long Island Chapter 8. Faces & Voices of Recovery 9. Friends of Recovery New York 10. Michael Fine, Director of Public Health, Rhode Island 11. Horizons Counseling Center Smithtown NY 12. I Am Not Anonymous Inc. 13. International CURE 14. Kenneth Peters Center for Recovery-Syosset NY 15. Kings Park in the know Community Coalition. Kings Park NY 16. LegMajor County Sheriffs Association 17. Long Island Center For Recovery, Hampton Bays NY 18. Long Island Recovery Association, 19. McShin Foundation 20. Michigan CURE 21. Missouri Recovery Network 22. National Association of State Alcohol and Substance Abuse Director 23. National Council for Behavioral Health 24. National District Attorneys Association 25. North Shore Youth Council, Rocky Point NY 26. Charles P. O Brien, MD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania 27. The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers 28. Seafield Center, Westhampton Beach NY 29. Senator Richard Sears, Vermont 30. TASC Illinois 31. WestCare Foundation 32. YES Community Counseling, Levittown NY 6