Between April 2020 and April 2021, at least 100,000 people died from a preventable overdose- the worst year in recorded history. Impacts from COVID-19, such as physical distancing and wide-ranging unemployment, have led to isolation, stress, and despair among many people, including people who use drugs. All of these factors are increasing overdose risk and we need Congress to take action now to reverse this trend.
They can do that by passing H.R.1384 / S.445, the bipartisan Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act of 2021 immediately. The MAT Act would eliminate the DATA 2000 WAIVER ("X Waiver") requirement that discourages healthcare practitioners from integrating treatment in their practices and perpetuates stigma in the medical community against people who would benefit from buprenorphine treatment.
Now is the time to invest in proven solutions - like accessible healthcare, lifesaving treatment, and harm reduction measures - to stop preventable overdose deaths. To effectively respond to the urgency of the overdose epidemic, we need to eliminate barriers that prevent healthcare practitioners from providing evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders.
Countless lives depend on your support of this life-saving legislation. We need our government to end the overdose crisis. Thanks.
First sent on January 28, 2022 by Jessica
