CADCA’s Chairman and CEO, Gen. Arthur T. Dean, addressed members of a Bi-Partisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic this morning on Capitol Hill.

With the House of Representatives passing 10 opioid bills this week and more votes scheduled for later today, CADCA wanted coalitions to read Gen. Dean’s statement from this morning’s bi-partisan task force meeting.

Here is an excerpt:

“As you all know, the senate-passed version of CARA, includes prevention and builds on the success of those DFC grantees. 

CADCA supports all aspects of CARA – from changes in the criminal justice system, to expanding naloxone and medication assisted treatment.  

And the addition of prevention is an essential part of any comprehensive approach to our opioid crisis.

Therefore, I am encouraged that a vote will be taken today on an amendment to make “prevention and recovery programs” an allowable use in the house opioid measure, HR-5046.

I believe we all are aware that this crisis cannot be solved without looking upstream and making that wise investment in effective primary prevention. 

CADCA wishes to thank all those who join us in this fight to save lives and heal communities. 

We join our 5,000 coalition partners across the U.S. to ask that any final, passed legislation to combat the opioid/heroin epidemic include the prevention provisions that we know are desperately needed.”

Watch CADCA’s website, social media and your email for CARA news as it develops.