Senator Portman and David Hudson, National Commander of The Salvation Army, penned a joint op-ed in The Hill on the need for everyone—in government, in the private sector, and in our communities—to work together to overcome the opioid epidemic. 2016 was the deadliest year on record for overdose deaths and initial estimates suggest 2017 was even worse. Senator Portman’s Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) became law in 2016 and directed federal resources toward addiction prevention, treatment, and—for the first time in federal law—recovery. Recently, Portman introduced the bipartisan CARA 2.0 Act to build on the success of CARA, provide additional resources to help turn the tide of addiction, and put in place policy reforms that will strengthen the federal government’s response to this crisis.

Said Portman and Hudson in the piece: “The federal government can help solve this crisis, but the heavy lifting will come at the local level. We need businesses more engaged in growing our workforce and helping people out of the shadows; we need community leaders to promote awareness of these issues to overcome the stigma of addiction; we need faith groups to meet human need without discrimination and help people heal; and so much more. 

Opioids have overtaken our communities—only together can we overcome and take them back.”

Excerpts of the op-ed can be found below and the full op-ed can be found at this link. 

We Must All Come Together To Overcome The Opioid Epidemic

By Rob Portman and David Hudson

The Hill

April 25, 2018

The opioid epidemic is devastating communities, breaking families apart, and taking lives across America.

…

The opioid crisis affects every aspect of our communities, and everyone has a role to play in overcoming it. That’s why we have partnered to highlight ways we can all come together to solve this crisis.

In 2016, the bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) was signed into law. The first comprehensive addiction reform legislation in over two decades, it provided federal resources for evidence-based prevention, treatment and recovery programs to break the cycle of addiction.

Emergency overdose reversal and stabilization provides a second chance at life, but longer-term recovery efforts like CARA prioritize providing a second chance to live addiction-free.

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CARA 2.0, a bipartisan bill introduced in February, will continue that progress and direct more resources to help people live up to their God-given potential.

The recent federal budget agreement includes $6 billion over the next two years to combat the opioid epidemic. Congress needs to use that money to build on CARA’s successes and direct more resources toward evidence-based programs. That’s what CARA 2.0 will do. It will serve as a road map for Congress to spend $1 billion toward programs that help individuals overcome addiction—and, just as important, help stop addiction before it starts.

…

The federal government can help solve this crisis, but the heavy lifting will come at the local level. We need businesses more engaged in growing our workforce and helping people out of the shadows; we need community leaders to promote awareness of these issues to overcome the stigma of addiction; we need faith groups to meet human need without discrimination and help people heal; and so much more.

Opioids have overtaken our communities—only together can we overcome and take them back.

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