Opioids and Addiction

During my time in Congress, I’ve met with people throughout Burlington and Ocean Counties who have struggled, or watched loved ones struggle with opioids, addiction and other substance abuse issues. I’ve also met with the men and women on the front lines of fighting this battle:  medical professionals, educators, and first responders who work every day to save lives. We can help those who need it most by increasing awareness, reducing stigma, and increasing access to treatment and recovery services.

That’s why I have:

• Secured additional funding for Burlington County’s HOPE ONE mobile access unit, which offers overdose prevention training, referrals to treatment and recovery services, and other resources for those struggling with drug addiction and their friends and family;
• Joined the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force;
• Authored legislation that would direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct a public education campaign about the dangers of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids as well as the treatment services available;
• Authored legislation that would direct the CDC to disseminate information on synthetic opioids to healthcare providers and require the development of training materials for first responders and other workers at high risk of exposure on synthetic opioid exposure prevention measures; 
• Cosponsored the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, which would eliminate red tape for healthcare providers to prescribe buprenorphine, a proven treatment that has saved countless Americans struggling with substance use disorder but remains inaccessible for many because of outdated restrictions.