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Public Health

Where I Stand

Over the last several years, too many Maine communities have been harmed by the opioid epidemic so it is vital to improve our response to these evolving public health threats.

The COVID-19 pandemic also demonstrated many shortcomings and failures in the public health system, ranging from supply chain resilience, hospital capacity, and provider burnout — ultimately, leading to shortages in the healthcare workforce.

What I've Done

  • Helped pass the fiscal year 2023 government funding bill which included legislation I backed to address the opioid crisis, notably:
    • Elimination of the X-waiver requirements for the prescription of buprenorphine for medication-assisted substance use treatment.
    • Historic investments of $4.9 billion to address the opioid crisis, including the State-based Opioid Response Grant, and CDC Overdose Surveillance and Prevention Program.
  • Introduced – the PREDICT Act, to fund the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS), which tests wastewater for infectious diseases like COVID-19 and Polio.