Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) applauded House passage of multiple bills this week to boost the federal response to the opioid crisis, and called on the Senate to move swiftly to ensure that support reaches victims and service providers as soon as possible.

“As the opioid epidemic continues to proliferate, our efforts to treat and prevent this disease at the federal level must be redoubled,” Smith said. “This crisis requires a more aggressive and comprehensive response to the problem, which is exactly what this package of bills will accomplish. The Senate needs to pass this legislation as quickly as possible—the severity of the crisis demands it.”

Earlier this year Smith supported, the House passed, and the President signed into law the FY 2018 omnibus bill that specified $3.3 billion in additional funds to address the opioid crisis and mental health. The bills that passed this week target funding to specific needs and programs.

Calling it a “comprehensive response to the epidemic,” Smith said the legislation he voted for this week creates new grants to “improve and expand access to treatment and recovery services, establish comprehensive opioid recovery centers, support law enforcement, and improve and enhance data collection and analysis.”

Some of the key provisions advanced by the bills will:

·         Connect and compile various resources on the opioid crisis at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

·         Increase grants for medical providers treating opioid abuse

·         Educate professionals working with children on how to recognize and treat child trauma from opioid abuse by adults

·         Better facilitate access to treatment for veterans struggling with opioid addiction

·         Increase the number of female peer counselors for female veterans who are leaving or who have just left military service

·         Confront the rising cases of HIV, hepatitis C and other infections stemming from drug-use, as part of Rep. Leonard Lance’s (R-NJ) Eliminating Opioid-Related Infectious Diseases Act

In New Jersey in 2016, there were 1,584 deaths from overdoses of opioids including heroin, prescription opioid painkillers, fentanyl, and synthetic opioids. New Jersey has one of the highest opioid overdose death rates in the nation for individuals age 35 and younger.

“Many of us know someone who has become addicted to opioids,” Rep. Smith stated. “I’ve met with advocates and have heard the heartbreaking stories from families of individuals who have suffered from opioid addiction. On a federal level, we must do all we can to support those affected by this crisis—patients and their families, medical caregivers, and law enforcement and first responders.”

Smith has long fought for more funding and awareness of treatment and prevention of opioid abuse, as a member of the Congressional Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus. In 2016, he supported a package of bills—the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), Public Law 114-198—which set up an interagency task force to study the best practices for preventing and treating opioid abuse.