End Substance Use Disorder Responds to Senate Hearing on Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder

Today, the U.S. Senate held a hearing on “Examining Our COVID-19 Response: Using Lessons Learned to Address Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders.” End Substance Use Disorder president Erin Schanning, issued the following statement in response to the hearing:

“We applaud Chair Patty Murray for her leadership in drawing attention to one of the most urgent issues facing our country - the growing lives lost to overdoses and suicides in the midst of the pandemic and the millions of children, parents, and siblings suffering without access to help. Substance use disorder affects virtually every family across the country. The tragedy is that we have effective treatments that can save lives and help our loved ones heal. But due to stigma-based federal laws, those treatments aren’t reaching our loved ones in need. We commend Chair Murray, Senator Hassan, and Senator Lujan for calling for Congress to act to ensure access to lifesaving overdose prevention medicine, which can save tens of thousands of lives each year from overdose. We look forward to working with the Senators to pass the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act to prevent overdoses and reduce stigma.”

- Erin Schanning, End Substance Use Disorder president

The Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act (MAT Act) is historic, bipartisan legislation that will prevent overdoses, increase participation in treatment, and reduce stigma. The broadly supported bill will help build universal access to buprenorphine, a lifesaving overdose prevention medicine that empowers people to secure long-term recovery and heal. The MAT Act can save tens of thousands of lives every year from overdose.

Today’s hearing comes with significant support for the MAT Act: The Biden Administration took executive action this week to remove barriers to this lifesaving overdose prevention medicine that the MAT Act addresses. The MAT Act is supported by over 100 national and state organizations and leaders and over 70 Democratic and Republican members of Congress.