Recovery Connections Network : Call on Congress to Support Increasing Emergency COVID Funding for SUD Programs

Thursday, October 8, 2020

Call on Congress to Support Increasing Emergency COVID Funding for SUD Programs

October 1, 2020

Tell Congress to Support Increasing Emergency COVID Funding for SUD Programs

Congressional leaders and the White House have committed to restarting negotiations on another COVID-19 relief package. On September 28, the House released an updated version of the HEROES Act.

NAADAC is pleased that the new relief proposal includes $8.5 billion to provide increased mental health and substance use disorder support, a $5 billion increase from the House’s previous proposal that passed in May!

House leaders are planning to use this new $2.2 trillion package to jumpstart negotiations with the White House and Senate. While it’s unclear if this legislation will lead to a bipartisan agreement before the November 3 election, negotiations are expected throughout the week.

Contact your lawmakers TODAY to help keep the pressure on Congress to reach an agreement that provides needed support for the addiction profession and the clients we serve! Please call the U.S. Capitol directly at 202.224.3121 and urge your Representative/Senators to fight for investments in SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery programs. Click here to find your U.S. Representative and click here to find your U.S. Senators.

What You Need to Say: Let your Representative/Senators know you are an addiction professional in their state or district. Let them know how COVID-19 is impacting your practice and clients. Ask them to support including at least $8.5 billion in the next COVID-19 relief package for mental health and substance use disorder programs.

Congress has the opportunity now to support treatment and recovery services in the next COVID-19 relief package for countless Americans living with addiction across the country. Remember to provide your contact information to your Representative/Senator and ask them to follow up with any questions!

Meet with Congressional Leadership Virtually on October 7!

Next week, you have the opportunity to speak virtually with lawmakers about the issues that affect the addiction profession and those it serves at the free NAADAC 2020 Virtual Hill Day on October 6 - October 7, 2020.

Register now and join us for a virtual welcome, briefing and Q&A on October 6, 2020.

On October 7, 2020, join NAADAC members, leadership, and other addiction professionals from across the country for virtual meetings with Members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill.

Don't miss this unique advocacy opportunity! Earn 2 CEs for free!

Lawmakers Introduce NAADAC-Supported Legislation to Prevent Fatal Overdoses

On September 24, Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Representatives Harley Rouda (D-CA) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) introduced the Improving Medicaid Programs’ Response to Overdose Victims and Enhancing (IMPROVE) Addiction Care Act (S. 4702/H.R. 8388).

NAADAC was pleased to provide the Members of Congress with feedback during the drafting process and proud to endorse these proposals that will help boost access to treatment and increase safeguards for Medicaid beneficiaries at risk of opioid-related overdoses.

This bipartisan legislation will require state Medicaid programs to use jointly-funded drug utilization review programs to increase access to treatment and boost safeguards for those on Medicaid who have experienced a non-fatal, opioid-related overdose.

While the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (P.L. 115-271) included a provision to ensure prescribers are aware of Medicare patients’ history of nonfatal overdoses, this issue was not addressed equally for patients on Medicaid. This important legislation builds on previous Congressional work on addiction to address an information gap that keeps prescribers uninformed about a patients a history of overdoses. Click here for a one page summary.