Facing Addiction's Letter
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July 26, 2018 The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Charles Schumer Majority Leader Minority Leader United States Senate United States Senate S-230 U.S. Capitol S-221 U.S. Capitol Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable John Cornyn The Honorable Dick Durbin Majority Whip Minority Whip United States Senate United States Senate 517 Hart Senate Building 711 Hart Senate Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senators McConnell, Cornyn, Schumer and Durbin, The undersigned organizations and individuals write to strongly urge the Senate to consider comprehensive legislation to address the opioid crisis before August. It is important that any measure include the full-spectrum of prevention, treatment and recovery efforts in order to adequately address the opioid misuse and overdose epidemic. We are grateful for your leadership and the considerable time Congress has dedicated to addressing this issue, and we share your interest in passing meaningful legislation this summer with enough new funding to have a significant impact on the opioid epidemic. There is an urgent need for Congress to swiftly send legislation to the President to implement important polices to prevent and treat opioid misuse and addiction, support people in recovery, and reduce overdose deaths. The House has acted, and now we ask for the Senate to act as well. The cost of the opioid epidemic is too high to defer consideration of legislation. Every day that we put off action, we leave hundreds of thousands without treatment and recovery and put thousands of lives at risk. We respectfully ask that the Senate to take up a comprehensive legislative package addressing opioid and substance misuse expeditiously, so that legislation to meaningfully curb the opioid epidemic can be signed into law at once. Sincerely, LOCAL, STATE & NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS A New PATH American Art Therapy Association Addiction Connections Resource American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry Addiction Haven American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Addiction Treatment Advocacy Coalition Social Work Alliance Of Coalitions for Healthy Communities American Foundation for Suicide Prevention/SPAN USA American Group Psychotherapy Association NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Arise & Flourish Professionals Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare National Alliance for Medication-Assisted Recovery (NAMA) Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) Beacon Health National Association for Children's Behavioral Bethsaida Community, Inc. Health BreakingTheCycles National Association for Rural Mental Health CathyTaughinbaugh National Association of Addiction Treatment Challenges Inc Providers (NAATP) Chris and Kelly's HOPE Foundation National Association of County Behavioral Health & CLEAR - Coalition for Leadership, Education & Development Disability Directors Advocacy for Recovery National Association of State Mental Health Confidential Recovery Program Directors Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Santa National Council for Behavioral Health Barbara National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Council on Substance Abuse-NCADD Dependence-Rochester Area Counseling Solutions Treatment Centers National Council on Alcohlism and Drug Dependence - Tulare County, Inc. Crossroads National Federation of Families for Children’s DC Fights Back! Mental Health Delphi Behavioral Health Group/MHD National Health Care for the Homeless Council Dentists Concerned For Dentists, Inc. National League for Nursing FED UP! Coalition National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Foundation for Recovery - Las Vegas (NOFAS) G III Associates New Directions Ohio Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social New Jersey Recovery Advocates Justice NMSAS Recovery Center Gru Living Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Head/Heart Therapy Services Providers Heroin Support Open Doorway of Cape Cod High Point Treatment Center Pathways Addiction Recovery Hope In Recovery Employment Pretrial Justice Institute Hope2gether Foundation Recovery Anne Arundel JORDAN'S HOPE FOR RECOVERY Recovery Houses Of Rochester Launch Pad Retreat Premier Addiction Treatment Centers Magnolia New Beginnings New York Rockhaven Ministries Manchester, CT HOPE Initiative Sandusky Artisans Recovery Community Center McShin Foundation School-Based Health Alliance Mental Health America SEAWAY VALLEY PREVENTION COUNCIL Messengers of Recovery Awareness Serenity Sistas Minnesota Recovery Connection Steve Rummler Hope Network ModernMed Recovery Students for Opioid Solutions 2 Suncoast Harm Reduction Project The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Synergy Treatment Centers Health Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug and Other The National Incarceration Association, Inc. Addiction Solutions The Onondaga Council on Alcoholism & Addictions The 24 Group The Perfectly Flawed Foundation The Campaign for Trauma Informed Policy and Transforming Youth Recovery Practice Treatment Communities of America The Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse United Methodist Church - General Board of The Drug Stories Project Church and Society The Glow Media Project Women for Sobriety, Inc. The Kennedy Forum YANA - You Are Never Alone Young People in Recovery INDIVIDUALS Alaska Joy Brown Scottsboro Monika Patrick Anchorage Gerald C. Fraas Tuscaloosa Karen Johnson Anchorage Ricky Wilson Montgomery K Gadberry Anchorage Patricia Brown Montgomery Amy Blair Sitka Darlene Hilyer Dothan Megan Savoie Anchorage Kristy Wells Fairhope Kelly Marre Wasilla Harriet Heacock Birmingham Sara Fann Kenai Annalisa Hood Anchorage Arkansas Mike Williams Kodiak Michael Duffy Rogers Rita Toller Guy Alabama Debra Jeffs Little Rock Lauren Sisler Birmingham Connie Phillips Springdale Angela Berry Montgomery Ted Hall Batesville Shannon Turnbull Sterrett Christina Martin Benton Melody DiClemente Birmingham Joana Wilhite Austin Joyce J. Ballard Birmingham Christina Martin Benton Stephanie Schrimsher Madison Arizona Kristina Canfield Birmingham Helen Greer Tucson Margie Annis Mentone Margaret Phillips Tucson Mystie Arnold Birmingham Natalie Bohnet Susan Vonbosse Elberta Cynthia Wicks Chandler Patricia Kimbrell Tuscaloosa Bridget Murphy Tucson Bridgett Plyman Fayette Kelly & Jacob Stefani Griffith Arab Sammeli Prescott Anelize Welgemoed Pretoria Carol Horan Goodyear 3 Sara Gibson, MD St. Johns Gail Gorton Menlo Park Cathy Dreifort Mesa Cheri Rodolfo Menlo Park Patricia Zielbauer Green Valley Catherine Taughinbaugh Danville Mary Viscuso Glendale Rhonda Shumway Hemet Vicky Solomon Taylor Anita Simons Oceanside Jan Napier Safford Charlotte Koppe Cindy Szydelko Glendale Richard Alsop North Hollywood Josh Steinmetz Prescott Rick Mesa Mesa La Quinta Jane Villalba Safford John Whitaker Los Angeles Kelly Mccall Phoenix Shelley Richanbach Burlingame Lori Hennesy Phoenix Laura Davis San Jose Jill Cole Apache Junction Janet maker Los Angeles Laurie Webb Cave Creek Michael Tomczyszyn San Francisco Delynn Saunders Tucson Susan Honaker Citrus Heights Julena Walsh Tucson Theresa Brooks Torrance Catrina Garner Holbrook Christopher Tammy Merriman Queen Creek Ronquest San Diego Deanna Gale Tempe Michele Powell El Cajon Cheryl Brandon Scottsdale Pamela Hawkins Auburn Mary Earhart Tucson Darlene Smart Fullerton Dara Gibson Tempe Anna Wheat San Jose Mindy Wriston Safford Kym StClair San Jose Penny Pulz Sun City Mary Cook Los Gatos Hazel Lundin Scottsdale Jill Duncan-Kahl Stockton Supporter Gilbert Mesa Daniel Dadoun San Mateo Debra Evans Tucson Kirsten DuBray Sacramento Patricia Grannan Sedona Veronica Wilson Gilroy Thelma Ross Phoenix Kimberly Ware Oakland Karen Mullan Phoenix Sandra Reid Campbell Angela Shopmeyer Phoenix Tatiana Yates Albany Dane Perikly Phoenix Verlene Crawford Huntington Beach Carol Sweet-Rhodes Surprise Adriana Espinosa de Supporter los Monteros San Diego Mothershead Wickenburg Jeremy Briggs Carlsbad Amy Jacobson Phoenix Brandy Malles Carmel Valley Melissa Bratt Tucson Garie King Aptos Eileen Aaron Kingman Janice Paulson Fresno Lisa Langfoss Chandler April Morton Campbell Paula von Husen Davis California Alison Mode Fullerton Sherrie Rubin Escondido Martha Estrella Davis Sandra Chavez Elk Grove Susan Knoll Lake Forest 4 Courbet Anderson Sacramento Gretchen Monak Agoura Hills Kittie Brown Altadena Teri Gault Santa Clarita Cara Sandweiss Agoura Hills Cindy Wilson Glen Ellen Tracy Hollander Berkeley Lesley Vennero Santa Clarita Patricia Mitchell Livermore David Sheridan Santa Monica Gretchen Bergman spring Valley Heloisa Teymourian Carlsbad Kim Fields Sacramento Kathryn Krummel San Diego Lisa Poggi Los Angeles Teresa Hooker Citrus Heights Michael Wechsberg San Clemente Robert Dorris Jr Los Angeles Edward jonathans Sunnyvale Christopher Abernathy Ontario Gayle Suits San Rafael Melissa Morales Covina MaryBeth Janzen Reedley Janet Rowse Santa Barbara Dr. S. Holzner Placentia Dana Claire San Juan Capistrano Janet Brock Huntington Beach Kristine Angelo Mountain View David Vandervelde Los Angeles Liz Pires Newport Beach Marilyn Brandi Laguna Hills Svetlana Andryan El Cajon Veronica Blakeslee San Bernardino Alan Achterberg Irvine Shawna Stoney Mill Valley Michael Ballue Gardena Gina Cordoba Orangevale Amy McHenry Menifee Justina Barringer Roseville Teri Rose Alameda Celia De Los Reyes Felton Robert Dorris Thousand Oaks Sue Henry Carlsbad Kelley Nunes Tulare Kristi Colbert Bayside Angela Congdon Santa Clara Juli Shamash Los Angeles