The Opioid Crisis and the Aicdac Grant

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to an ongoing epidemic that is plaguing most communities across the Nation. I am talking about the opioid crisis.

Far too many people have fallen victim to opioid abuse, and the statistics in Pennsylvania are frightening. In the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is reported that 5,388 people died from drug overdose in 2017, many of them from opioid abuse.

Addiction does not discriminate. It does not see race, gender, or socioeconomic status. There is not a community in our Nation that hasn't been impacted by opioid addiction in some way.

Before my time in Congress, I spent 28 years as a therapist and rehabilitation services manager. I have seen firsthand how addiction impacts families and our communities.

September is Recovery Month, and it is an opportunity to increase awareness and understanding of substance abuse disorders.

To celebrate those who are helping combat the opioid crisis and those who are on the road to recovery, Clarion County recently celebrated Recovery Month by honoring first responders who have made an impact on the community.

Together, John Greenway, Farrah Murray, and Bridget Murray have saved 38 lives by delivering naloxone, the medication that counters the effects of opioid overdose.

At the award ceremony, Clarion resident Dustin Parsons told his story about his struggle with addiction, noting the help he received from the AICDAC, the Armstrong Indiana Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission.

Dustin said: ``During the last few years of my addiction, I was in a position where I could meet the AICDAC. They helped me get a lot of resources. I want to give back to the community. I try to convince other people that there is a way out of this.''

The AICDAC works to prevent addiction and treat those who have fallen victim to opioid abuse, and they are the recent recipient of a $1 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services.

These funds will ensure the region will have substance abuse prevention, intervention, and treatment services, especially when it comes to combating the opioid crisis affecting our communities.

The grant is being used to expand the commission's Addiction Recovery Mobile Outreach Team that services the three area hospitals to provide treatment and recovery 24/7.

Kami Anderson, Executive Director of AICDAC, said: ``The commission will continue its work with county overdose task forces which are committed to reducing and eliminating the number of fatal opioid overdoses in the three-county area.''

Recovery is incredibly important. The care the therapists, first responders, doctors, and addiction specialists provide can, in many cases, be the difference between life and death, but we must not overlook the critical importance of prevention efforts.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced $1.8 billion to help States combat the opioid crisis. It is my hope that this will be a step in the right direction in healing and to rid this Nation of this health crisis.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source