Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Chairman Elijah E. Cummings convened the Committee’s third hearing on opioids entitled “Medical Experts: Inadequate Federal Approach to Opioid Treatment and the Need to Expand Care."
TAKEAWAYS
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Top medical experts agreed during yesterday’s hearing that the majority of Americans who have a substance use disorder are not getting access to the treatment they need, and the federal response has been inadequate.
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Angela Gray BSN, RN, Nurse Director of the Berkeley-Morgan County Board of Health, explained that the responses to date from the Executive Branch and Congress for her community have been woefully inadequate to address this generational crisis. She testified that she has not seen “one penny" from the SUPPORT Act.
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Jean Ross RN, President of National Nurses United, testified about why so many patients and families are in need of evidence-based treatment and unable to obtain it when they need it most.
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Chairman Cummings announced some of the top medical groups that have endorsed the CARE Act - landmark legislation to provide the resources and the comprehensive framework needed to combat this epidemic.
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Chairman Cummings urged Congress to commit to fully funding the response to the opioid crisis and supporting the CARE Act, which would effectively combat this horrible epidemic and save the lives of our patients.
WITNESSES
Susan R. Bailey, M.D.
President-elect
American Medical Association
Yngvild K. Olsen, M.D., MPH, DFASAM
Vice President, American Society of Addiction Medicine
Medical Director, Institutes for Behavior Resources Inc./REACH Health Services in Baltimore
Arthur C. Evans, Jr., Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer/Executive Vice President
American Psychological Association
Jean Ross, RN
President
National Nurses United
Angela Gray, BSN, RN
Nurse Director
Berkeley-Morgan County Board of Health, West Virginia
VIDEOS
Watch Chairman Cummings’ question line.
Watch Rep. Lacy Clay’s question line.
Watch Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s question line.
Watch Angie Gray’s opening statement.
