YORK, ME – During a press conference at York Hospital today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) called on Congress to immediately pass an emergency funding bill that would help combat the opioid and heroin epidemic that is plaguing communities across Maine and New Hampshire. The legislation, introduced by Senator Shaheen and cosponsored by Senator King, would provide a total of $600 million in supplemental appropriations to programs at the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery.

“The opioid and heroin epidemic is a crisis that demands our immediate attention,” Senator King said. “People in Maine and around the country are losing their lives, communities are being torn apart, and first responders and healthcare providers are being pushed to the brink. Congress must act quickly and in a comprehensive way to provide those on the frontline with the additional tools and resources critical to curbing this deadly problem. I commend Senator Shaheen for spearheading this effort and look forward to working with her, our colleagues in Congress, and the President to advance this critical legislation.”

“Congress needs to treat the heroin epidemic like the national public health emergency that it is,” said Senator Shaheen. “There are far too many families in New Hampshire, Maine and across the country that have lost a loved one to heroin and opioids. I’m very grateful to have Senator King as a partner in this effort to get urgently needed resources to the frontlines. Our first responders and treatment providers are often overwhelmed and need much more support from the federal government to help them stem the tide of this crisis. Senator King is a respected independent voice in the Senate who will help build momentum for this legislation.”

The Senators were joined at the press conference today by York Chief of Police and Hospital Member of the Board, Doug Bracy; York Hospital President and CEO, Jud Knox; Principal of York High School, Meghan Ward; as well as treatment practitioners and a patient currently in recovery. York Hospital operates an intensive outpatient treatment program, known as the Cottage Program, for adults and adolescents with drug addictions.

From 2002 to 2013, opioid-related deaths have quadrupled nationally according to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In Maine, the overall number of drug overdose deaths last year was projected to exceed the previous year, when 208 people died of overdoses – the worst year on record, according to the Maine Attorney General’s Office. Meanwhile in New Hampshire, there was a 74 percent increase in opioid deaths from 2013 to 2014. In most states, more people are now dying of fatal overdoses than vehicle-related deaths

The supplemental legislation would provide additional emergency funding to the following federal programs:

Department of Justice

• Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program - $200 million increase to fund state and local initiatives on drug treatment and enforcement programs, law enforcement, and prevention and education programs.

• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Anti-Heroin Task Force Grant - $25 million to assist state drug task forces deal with particularly high rates of heroin abuse.  Established by Senator Shaheen, this program targets resources to support police operations on the ground.

Department of Health and Human Services

• Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant – $250 million in additional funds to distribute to states for programs related to prevention, treatment, recovery support and other services.  For many states, including New Hampshire and Maine, this is the primary source of federal programs to address the misuse of alcohol and drugs.

• Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention for States – $50 million to support the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s work on prescription drug monitoring programs, community or insurer and health system interventions, and rapid response projects.

• National Institute on Drug Abuse – $35 million for targeted research on drug addiction and efforts to disseminate the results to improve prevention and treatment.

• Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Success – $20 million to address underage drinking and prescription drug misuse and abuse among 12 to 25 year olds.

• Capacity Expansion for Medication Assisted Treatment for Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction – $10 million to help improve access in high risk communities to medication assisted treatment services for treating heroin and prescription opioids.

• Safe Schools/Healthy Students – $5 million to support school and community partnerships in efforts to create safe, drug-free and respectful environments for learning and to promote the behavioral health of children and youth.

• Recovery Community Services Program – $5 million to assist community organizations and develop organized statewide network for peer–to-peer recovery support including activities such as peer coaching, peer support groups, life skills workshops and peer-led housing and employment connector programs.

Additionally, Senator Shaheen sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell to inform her agency of the emergency appropriations bill and to request that HHS use every means at their disposal to address this crisis. In December, Senator King wrote a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to increase funding in the 2017 Fiscal Year Budget to address the prescription drug and heroin epidemic in Maine and across the country.

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