WASHINGTON, D.C. – With drug treatment facilities across the country closing their doors, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today introduced the Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment Act (LifeBOAT), legislation that would establish a permanent funding stream to provide and expand access to substance abuse treatment.

“I’ve heard it time and time again from people waging the battle against addiction: we need more treatment options. But today, those options are only dwindling in the face of ever-shrinking budgets, and the sad result is that those who need the help the most simply aren’t getting it,” Senator King said. “It’s my hope that this common-sense legislation can help put a stop to that. By establishing a reliable stream of funding, this bill will bolster treatment facilities across the country, increase the amount of services available, and support people as they fight back against addiction – all while doing so in a cost-effective way. We must step up to lend a hand to those who need our help, and this bill does that.”

According to the Maine Attorney General, 272 people in Maine died last year as a result of drug overdoses and the vast majority of those deaths were caused by heroin, fentanyl or prescription opioids. While the demand for treatment services has increased, several substance treatment abuse facilities, including Mercy Recovery Center, which had been the state’s largest treatment center, have closed their doors due to lack of adequate funding.

The Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment (LifeBOAT) Act would establish a one cent fee on each milligram of active opioid ingredient in a prescription pain pill to fund efforts to provide and expand access to substance abuse treatment. At the request of Senator King, the legislation requests HHS to determine a process to either discount or rebate the fee for cancer-related pain and hospice care, and exempts drugs used exclusively for the treatment of opioid addiction. More specifically, the funding generated through the legislation would be put toward:

• Establishing new addiction treatment facilities, both residential and outpatient.

• Recruiting and increasing reimbursement for certified mental health providers providing substance abuse treatment.

• Expanding access to long-term, residential treatment programs for those fighting addiction

• Establishing and/or operating support programs that offer employment services, housing, and other support services to help a recovering addict transition back into society.

• Establishing and/or operating facilities to provide care for babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome.

• Establishing and/or operating substance abuse treatment programs in conjunction with Adult and Family Treatment Drug Courts.

A fact-sheet with additional information on the legislation can be read HERE and the text of the bill can be read HERE.

Senator King also joined with several of his colleagues this morning at a press conference to announce the introduction of the bill. To watch a video of the press conference, click HERE.

Other cosponsors of the legislation include: Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.).

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