U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced his support for a package of bills moving through the House of Representatives this week to address prescription drug abuse and equip local communities with the tools needed to combat the national opioid epidemic.
“Communities across the country are struggling to address this public health and safety crisis and assist those in need of treatments,” said Smith citing federal statistics that show that deaths from unintentional overdose of prescription painkillers almost quadrupled between 1999 and 2013 and that every day 44 Americans die from an overdose.
It is estimated that nearly 4.5 million Americans are using prescription painkillers without a valid medical need. In New Jersey, according to the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, drug-related death toll increased 53 percent from 2010 to 2012. Approximately two-thirds of all those deaths involved prescription drugs rather than solely illicit drugs.
“The scale of the epidemic is overwhelming the capacity of our substance abuse infrastructure, and additional tools and resources are needed to help communities—and families—cope,” he said.
Smith said the 18-bill legislative package offers a “comprehensive, multi-tiered approach.” He highlighted bills that are broad in scope as well as some that target distinctive populations.
The broader bills include HR 5046 which authorizes $515 million over five years for opioid abuse reduction, prevention and treatment programs and HR 4641 to establish a Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force made up of medical experts and patients and designed to update best practices and prevent prescribed addiction. HR 4982 requires a review of our nation's substance abuse treatment availability and infrastructure needs, including the capacity of inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities. HR 4981 will allow for greater access to less addictive drugs that can help the individual to quit or reduce their use of opioids.
Helping Veterans with Acute or Chronic Pain
Among the other bills Smith highlighted is legislation, HR 4063, designed specifically to help our veteran population.
“Studies indicate that veterans use prescription drugs more frequently than their civilian counterparts and the consequence are devastating—increased suicide risk, heroin use, and homelessness,” said Smith, who served as chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. “The VA cannot simply dole out drugs without proper management and controls in place, as we saw in Tomah. It is a dereliction of duty for VA medical staff charged with the sacred task of caring for our nation’s veterans.”
Smith said HR 4063, officially named the Promoting Responsible Opioid Management and Incorporating Scientific Expertise (PROMISE) Act, directs the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) to take several actions to expand opioid safety initiatives and update opioid therapy guidelines to help prevent veterans from becoming opioid abusers.
Another House considered bill will create a new grant program to boost veterans’ peer-to-peer support and mentorships in obtaining opioid treatment or rehabilitation, provide training programs for law enforcement and health care personnel on how to identify and appropriately respond to opioid incidents involving veterans, and assist veterans treatment court programs and incarcerated veterans.
Aid Pregnant Women, Mothers & Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)
Smith also pointed to legislation to protect and offer better addiction treatments for pregnant women and infants.
“Part of our anti-opioid abuse effort includes legislation (HR 3691) to reauthorize and expand residential treatment grant programs for pregnant and postpartum women who have substance abuse problems, and create a pilot program to test innovative service delivery models,” Smith said. “We are also requiring the GAO to report on federal barriers to treating children with NAS covered by Medicaid and recommend improvements that will ensure access to treatments and care (HR 4978),” he said.
The Improving Safe Care for the Prevention of Infant Abuse and Neglect Act (HR 4843), another bill in the package, will ensure states comply with existing federal law that requires health care providers to notify child protective services agencies when a child is born with NAS, and create a "safe care plan" for that child. Smith cited a recent Reuter’s investigation that revealed how many states fail to comply with these requirements and babies and mothers affected by substance abuse are not receiving the help they need.
“A baby is born dependent on opioids every 25 minutes in America. We have a responsibility to help the most vulnerable among us. Securing medical care—and developing a plan forward—for babies born with NAS must continue to be a priority,” said Smith who earlier in the current 114th Congress supported legislation designed to identify gaps in the research, prevention, and treatment of prenatal opioid abuse and infants born experiencing withdrawal.
The House package also included three bills designed to boost the availability and use of "rescue drugs," such as naloxone, and assess state level “Good Samaritan” laws, which provide immunity for those who help individuals experiencing an overdose.
“Policies that encourage individuals to help those in need of medical attention and access to overdose reversal drugs save lives, and should be encouraged,” Smith said.
The House will also vote to go to a formal conference committee with the Senate to iron out the best package to send to the President.
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