Senator Blumenthal Urges Immediate Action from VA to Address Opioid Over-Prescription and Addiction within VA Health System

Press Release

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, wrote to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Bob McDonald requesting a detailed timeline on efforts related to combatting opioid over-prescription and addiction among veterans. In a hearing earlier this month, the Senator pressed Undersecretary Clancy to facilitate better information-sharing within VA databases and relevant state Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs and ensure that VA facilities are properly equipped with high-quality mental health professionals trained to treat PTS, TBI or other conditions often mistreated with powerful opioids.

In addition, the letter requests that VA provide a detailed timeline for which it expects to fill vacant positions relating to mental health care in Connecticut facilities. Well-trained mental health professionals are critical to providing appropriate care for our veterans and in avoiding the dangerous over-prescription of opioids.

"I ask VA to dramatically improve treatments for veterans suffering from addiction or other conditions resulting from opioid prescription," the Senator wrote. "More than half of the veterans utilizing VA health services experience chronic pain, compared with 30 percent of the general population. Veterans also have a higher rate of comorbidities such as post-traumatic stress (PTS) or traumatic brain injury (TBI) both of which can require a complex treatment regimen that opioid medication can disrupt .… VA must continue to take steps to ensure VA health facilities are able to treat the underlying causes of these conditions--in particular, by being properly staffed with high-quality mental health professionals."

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