Transcript PPT - National Journal

PRESENTATION CENTER
PRESCRIPTION OPIOID DRUG / HEROIN EPIDEMIC
Senate to Vote on Opioid Epidemic Bill This Week
Key Aspects of Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act (CARA)
Inter-Agency Task Force
The bill would create a task force comprised of
representatives from HHS, VA, FDA, Defense, DEA,
CDC, the National Academy of Medicine, NIH, and the
Office of National Drug Control Policy, as well as
doctors, pharmacists, and other representatives from
the private and nonprofit sectors. The task force
would define national best practices, but would not
have rulemaking authority.
Awareness Campaign
The Secretary of Health and Human Services, working
with the Attorney General, is generally directed to
advance public knowledge about prescription opioid
drugs. The Office of National Drug Control Policy is
tasked with creating a national drug awareness
campaign focused on prescription opiates and heroin.
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Overall Funding
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that
the bill would cost $571 million over five years
(through 2021). The bill authorizes the spending, but
does not appropriate it; Senate Democrats want to
fully fund the bill immediately with an emergency
supplemental spending bill, which risks the ire of
budget-conscious conservatives.
Support for Naloxone Use
Naloxone is a prescription medication that can help
reverse the effects of heroin overdoses. Many police
departments equip officers with the drug for use in
emergencies before paramedics arrive; the bill
provides grants for programs that equip and train
officers in the use of this drug.
Alternatives to Incarceration
The bill would provide grants for programs designed
to create alternatives to incarceration for criminals
with substance abuse problems, e.g. treatment
centers or specialized probation programs
Source: National Journal Research, 2016; S.524 “Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016”; Jordain Carney, “Senate Readies for Battle Over Opioid Abuse,” The Hill,
February 28, 2016.
February 29, 2016 | Tucker Doherty