New Dem Health Care Task Force Statement on Support for the Reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act
Today, New Democrat Coalition Health Care, Substance Use, and Mental Health Task Force Chair Terri Sewell (AL-07) and Vice Chairs Yadira Caraveo (CO-08) and Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) released a statement in favor of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act. This legislation, led by New Dem Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02), expands access to critical resources and treatments to aid those in recovery from opioid addiction and mental health issues.
The bill was passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee in July with broad, bipartisan support. The SUPPORT Act also includes several New Dem-led mental health and substance use disorder bills that the Task Force endorsed in September.
“Our country is facing an unprecedented crisis of addiction. The number of annual opioid-related overdose deaths increased from 21,000 in 2010 to over 109,000 deaths in 2022.
“As our communities continue to be ravaged by the opioid epidemic, New Dems are dedicated to advancing legislation that expands access to lifesaving care, bolsters the capacity of recovery and treatment centers, and supports innovative research to improve health outcomes.
“The SUPPORT Act goes a long way to achieving these goals, and it’s one of Congress’ best tools to address the addiction crisis. The bill attacks opioid addiction at its source, ensuring resources are directed to the communities across the country that need them the most.
“Funding from the 2018 SUPPORT Act expired at the end of September – without reauthorization, these communities will lose the certainty these programs provide to save lives and combat addiction. We cannot allow that to happen. New Dems are dedicated to working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to get this bill across the finish line.”
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