Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's office issued the following earlier today:
January 9, 2020
The Family Support Services for Addiction Act Would Create a Grant Program to Fund Services for Families Helping Loved Ones With Substance Use Disorder; Only One in Five People Who Need Treatment For Substance Use Disorder Receive It
Washington, DC –
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), U.S. Senator Shelley Moore
Capito (R-WV), Congressman David Trone (D-MD-06), and Congressman Dan
Meuser (R-PA-09) today introduced the Family Support Services for Addiction Act. The
new legislation would create a $25 million grant program over five
years to help national and local nonprofit organizations provide family
support services for addiction treatment and would empower families with
the resources to help loved ones struggling with addiction. The
legislation comes as the country is facing a nationwide addiction
epidemic—nearly 50,000 Americans died from opioid overdose from 2016 to
2017.
“Addressing the addiction crisis in our
state and country requires supporting families who are impacted by the
crisis every day. Families are often quickly thrown into a world of
addiction and substance use disorder that they know little about without
the resources they need to support their loved ones,” said Senator Gillibrand.
“My Family Support Services for Addiction Act would establish a $25
million grant program over five years to fund nonprofit-run family
support services to create programming that aids families with a loved
one suffering from addiction. This is one key step to helping support
people living with substance use disorder and encourage their recovery.”
“As we continue to combat the addiction
crisis in West Virginia and across the nation, it has become clear that
addiction’s impact goes far beyond those struggling with substance use
disorders,” said Senator Capito. “Too often,
those surrounding this individual feel isolated, ashamed, and unsure
where to turn for reliable information and advice. This bipartisan
legislation will hopefully provide family members with the support,
resources, and information they need to assist both their loved one
struggling with addiction and all within their family who are impacted
by it.”
“For five years, I navigated the
complicated world of addiction and recovery services with my nephew Ian,
who was addicted to opioids,” said Congressman Trone, founder of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction in the House of Representatives. “The
addiction crisis doesn’t just impact one person, it impacts the family,
friends, and communities of someone seeking recovery. The bipartisan
Family Support Services for Addiction Act acknowledges this impact and
provides funding directly to organizations that are helping the loved
ones of someone with substance use disorder beat this horrible disease.”
“The Family Support Services for
Addiction Act will help families access resources to guide them through
the incredibly difficult and intimidating process of helping a loved one
with substance use disorder. Family support services help families
navigate their insurance coverage, explore treatment options, and
understand how they can best help their loved one recover. Combating the
opioid epidemic has been a top priority since coming to Congress, and I
believe this legislation can play a key role in ensuring those
struggling get the help they need,” said Congressman Meuser.
“We’ve seen how the stigma associated
with addiction has forced many families into the shadows. Families
facing other diseases are provided with compassion and support. This
legislation stands to help organizations offer support to families
struggling with addiction, when they need it most,” said Courtney Hunter, Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs, Center on Addiction + Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. “When
it comes to addiction, family involvement can make the difference
between life and death. We need to empower families and provide them
with support.”
Organizations around the country help
millions of family members affected by substance use disorder every day.
These groups offer services to families that are often not provided by
treatment facilities nor covered by insurance. However, most of these
organizations receive little to no government support. The Family Support Services for Addiction Act would help close that gap. Administered through the Department of Health and Human Services, the Family Support Services for Addiction Act
would provide national and local community programs that offer family
support services with $25 million in grants over five years. Family
support services include caregiver peer support, education and training,
systems navigation for families trying to access treatment and other
resources, counseling services, support groups for those in crisis and
for those who have lost loved ones, and skill-building.
Evidence has shown that when
families are involved in their loved one’s treatment and recovery,
outcomes improve. Those with family members engaged in programs and
services such as Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) –
an evidence-based model that teaches families the skills to have
productive and effective conversations and interactions with their child
– show a higher treatment retention rate.
Overdose deaths involving opioids have
spiked in recent years, largely due to the opioid epidemic. From
2016-2017, nearly 50,000 Americans died due to opioid overdose, and the
average national rate of overdose deaths involving opioids was 14.6
deaths per 100,000 persons. During that same time period, New York
experienced 3,224 opioid overdose deaths (16.1 deaths per 100,000
persons), West Virginia experienced 833 opioid overdose deaths (49.6 per
100,000 persons), Maryland experienced 1,985 opioid overdose deaths
(32.2 per 100,000 persons) and Pennsylvania experienced 4,898 opioid
overdose deaths (40.3 per 100,000 person).
The Family Support Services for Addiction Act has been endorsed by Center on Addiction + Partnership for Drug-Free Kids,
The Kennedy Forum, Attack Addiction (Delaware), Not One More (Alabama),
Parents Helping Parents (Oklahoma), Hope Sheds Light (New Jersey), Not
One More (Pennsylvania), and Drug Free Workplace PA and Family Education
(Pennsylvania).
The full text of the legislation may be found here.
