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Dear Friend,
Over the past several weeks, I’ve hosted town hall discussions in Crystal Lake, Aurora, and Lisle to discuss the ongoing battle against the opioid epidemic and to provide an update on what I’ve been working on in Congress to help our communities address this deadly scourge. I’ve been fortunate to be joined by experts in mental health and substance use disorders who have provided important information about what local resources are available to individuals or families.
Countless community groups, municipalities, and law enforcement officials are working to combat substance use disorder at the local level, but we must do more at the federal level to support them. This Congress, I’ve been proud to introduce three pieces of legislation that would help expand access to recovery resources for those overcoming substance use disorders:
- Examining Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Act: This bill would direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate and report on the capacity of outpatient and inpatient programs across the country, allowing additional recovery resources to be directed where they are needed most.
- Medicaid CARE Act: This legislation would reverse an outdated policy that prevents Medicaid from paying for residential substance abuse care, thereby expanding access to intensive inpatient treatment for Medicaid recipients.
- Expanding Opportunities for Recovery Act: This bill would allow states to be awarded grants through the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment in order to expand prevention efforts and evidence-based treatments, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
The scale of this epidemic requires a united effort from all of us to help save lives. As your representative, I’ll continue working to support prevention efforts and bolster options for treatment and recovery.
Sincerely,
Bill Foster
Member of Congress
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