Senate Advances Two Proposals Authored by Collins to Address the Opioid Crisis
Click HERE to watch Senator Collins’ remarks at today’s Health Committee hearing
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Washington, D.C.—Two bipartisan proposals authored by U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) to address the opioid crisis were included as part of comprehensive legislation advanced unanimously today by the Senate Health Committee. Senator Collins’ provisions would help ensure that unused prescription drugs do not fall into the wrong hands and bolster peer support networks for long-term recovery.
“Drug overdoses killed a record 418 people in Maine last year, and nearly 1,000 babies are born each year addicted to opioids and other drugs in our state alone. It is imperative that we work together to reverse this trend and assist individuals and families who are struggling with addiction,” said Senator Collins. “I am pleased that my bipartisan proposals to allow the safe disposal of unwanted drugs in hospice and bolster peer support networks were included in the Committee’s bill. By providing support for prevention, treatment, and first responders, this comprehensive legislation takes an all-of-the-above approach to respond to this crisis.”
Over the past several months, the Health Committee, on which Senator Collins serves, has held seven hearings on the heroin and opioid abuse epidemic. The legislation approved today, which was coauthored by Senator Collins, includes 40 distinct provisions. It represents the culmination of the Committee’s latest effort to assist states and communities with reducing the number of prescription opioids, stopping illegal drugs at the border, and accelerating research on non-addictive pain medicines.
The astonishing rate of overdoses fueled by the opioid crisis has increased rapidly in recent years and has shown no signs of abating. Last year, overdoses claimed the life of more than one Mainer per day, making this one of the top causes of death in the state. In 2016, there were more than 63,600 drug overdose deaths nationally.
Senator Collins’ provisions are based on two bipartisan bills she authored and would work to address these alarming statistics. They include:
- The Safe Disposal of Unused Medication Act cosponsored by Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
This provision would allow hospice staff, such as physicians, registered nurses, and nurse practitioners, to dispose of unused prescription drugs after a hospice patient dies or a medication expires. Currently, hospice staff are not allowed to dispose of unused medications. As a result, dangerous medications with a high risk of diversion, theft, and abuse are frequently left in the deceased person’s home. The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) sent a letter in support of this legislation.
- The Opioid Peer Support Networks Act cosponsored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
This provision would foster the creation of peer support networks, also known as communities in recovery, and it would provide them with the resources and training they need to succeed. Peer support networks engage individuals who are in recovery with other peers facing substance use disorders to provide long-term support in employment, education, housing, and overall wellbeing. Senator Collins witnessed these individuals’ tremendous sense of hope and resiliency when she visited the Bangor Area Recovery Network, or BARN, in Brewer, Maine, last year. The Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery in Augusta and the Portland Recovery Community Center also provide peer support networks to serve central and southern parts of Maine.
A growing body of research is showing that peer support networks reduce relapse, enhance wellbeing, and improve long-term recovery. While relapse is common in addiction treatment, with rates between 40 and 60 percent, peer recovery supports have demonstrated reduced relapse rates and increased treatment retention. Eighty-eight Recovery Community Organizations across the country, from Portland, Maine, to Seattle, Washington, have submitted a letter of support.
