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Substance abuse treatment efforts gaining attention

For far too many West Virginians, opioid use is the most dangerous threat to the safety of themselves and their family. And just like we fight threats to our country from abroad, we must prioritize tackling the ever-increasing threat of opioid abuse that occurs right here at home. First Lady Melania Trump’s visit to Lily’s Place this week shines a light on a topic that is so often kept in the dark. We must bring these issues to the national forefront and work with the White House to end this opioid epidemic.

As your U.S. Senator, I fight every day to get West Virginians the help they need to help them overcome their substance use disorder. One way to make sure that West Virginians have that access is to establish a permanent funding stream for substance use disorder treatment. My legislation, the LifeBOAT ACT, would do just that by creating a one cent fee per milligram of opioid that is manufactured. This bill would provide West Virginia with more federal funding for substance use disorder treatment and allow more resources to go to facilities like Lily’s Place. It would help make substance abuse treatment affordable and easily accessible.

I also introduced Jessie’s Law to ensure that a patient’s medical records accurately reflect their history with opioids while also protecting their privacy, so that doctors and hospitals can make medically appropriate decisions about prescribing opioid medication to individuals who may relapse into their addiction. While these bills are necessary steps in our fight against opioids, we must do more to help victims of opioid abuse begin a new life.

The First Lady’s visit shows what a serious and important issue we are dealing with in West Virginia every single day. This epidemic brings chaos and instability to infants and children, desperation to husbands and wives, and sorrow to mothers and fathers. The babies at Lily’s Place did not choose to be there and have no control over their circumstances. But Lily’s Place gives these babies and their mothers a chance at a normal, healthy life. It’s my hope that the First Lady’s visit brings these babies and their struggle to national attention and spurs action in Congress in order to help babies all over the country.

This week I joined the Wood County community to open Recovery Point Parkersburg. This 85-bed facility will serve men all across West Virginia who struggle with substance use disorders. This long-term program is a shining example of how we as a state can help victims not only become sober but to breathe new life into them so that they may once again become successful members of our communities.

Recovery Point’s success lies in their approach to tackling opioid abuse not in a single day or week, but through a long-term process that allows participants to work with their peers at their in-patient facilities. This process is a trial for those that enter the doors of Recovery Point, but those who complete the program are rewarded with a fresh start to their lives.

Overcoming substance abuse disorder is a huge accomplishment itself, but taking the long-term steps to improving a person’s future is how we can progress as a state away from the pain of opioid abuse. West Virginians are resilient people and are always willing to lend a hand to their neighbors that are down. Lily’s Place and Recovery Point are excellent examples of what that helping hand can look like. I’m proud the First Lady visited Lily’s Place and I look forward to continuing working with the First Lady, the President and his administration on how we as a country can not only tackle the opioid epidemic but how we can also see to it that those affected by opioids get a chance to start fresh. As we experience and struggle through this crisis, I am still fighting for West Virginians and everyone in our country who are touched by this disease.

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