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by: Harley Rouda (D-CA, 48th)
Washington, D.C. - April 16, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- Rep. Harley Rouda (CA-48) and Rep. Kelly Armstrong (ND-AL) sent a bipartisan letter to Elinore McCance-Katz, Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Mental Health and Substance Use. In the letter, the Members of Congress urge that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) consult local governments in the development of national recovery housing best practices.
“The opioid crisis has devastated communities in Orange County and across the country. Those affected deserve solutions, not exploitation,” said Rouda. “Unethical sober homes prey upon a vulnerable population and corrupt a practice meant to provide support, treatment, and guidance. Local governments have been at the frontlines of fighting these operators, and the Federal government would miss a huge part of the equation without local input. Congressman Armstrong and I are working to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Said Armstrong, “The opioid epidemic does not discriminate. It is striking people of all backgrounds and in every community in America. Recovery residences are essential to combat the disease of addiction, but we need to ensure they are being operated efficiently and ethically. Local communities are working to integrate these facilities into communities to protect patients and the public. I was glad to join Congressman Rouda in urging the Department of Health and Human Services to work with local communities as they develop best practices for this important addiction treatment. Anyone in recovery deserves to know that recovery housing is a safe and reliable option.”
“As the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) develops national recovery housing best practices, it is absolutely crucial that SAMHSA consult with local governments regarding their experiences with these facilities. Incorporating local governments’ lessons learned and data collected into the best practices will result in better and stronger guidelines. The City of Costa Mesa strongly supports an open dialogue between experienced local governments and SAMHSA in the pursuit of healthier and safer communities,” said Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley.
The letter was also signed by Representatives David Trone (MD-6), Gil Cisneros (CA-39), Katie Porter (CA-45), Katie Hill (CA-25), Jason Crow (CO-6), Mike Levin (CA-49), and TJ Cox (CA-21).
Sec. 7031 in the SUPPORT Act directs the Department of Health and Human Services to work with relevant agencies and stakeholders to identify or facilitate the development of best practices for operating recovery housing and common indicators for fraudulent recovery housing operators. The letter urges that local governments be included as one of those stakeholders.
Although sober living homes are intended to provide alcohol and drug-free living environments for those impacted by the ongoing opioid/addiction crisis, some unethical operators have “cast suspicion on recovery residences generally and have complicated the efforts of families, treatment centers, and court systems to identify safe, supportive, well run, and affordable recovery housing,” according to The President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis.
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by: Harley Rouda (D-CA, 48th)
Washington, D.C. - April 16, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- Rep. Harley Rouda (CA-48) and Rep. Kelly Armstrong (ND-AL) sent a bipartisan letter to Elinore McCance-Katz, Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Mental Health and Substance Use. In the letter, the Members of Congress urge that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) consult local governments in the development of national recovery housing best practices.
“The opioid crisis has devastated communities in Orange County and across the country. Those affected deserve solutions, not exploitation,” said Rouda. “Unethical sober homes prey upon a vulnerable population and corrupt a practice meant to provide support, treatment, and guidance. Local governments have been at the frontlines of fighting these operators, and the Federal government would miss a huge part of the equation without local input. Congressman Armstrong and I are working to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Said Armstrong, “The opioid epidemic does not discriminate. It is striking people of all backgrounds and in every community in America. Recovery residences are essential to combat the disease of addiction, but we need to ensure they are being operated efficiently and ethically. Local communities are working to integrate these facilities into communities to protect patients and the public. I was glad to join Congressman Rouda in urging the Department of Health and Human Services to work with local communities as they develop best practices for this important addiction treatment. Anyone in recovery deserves to know that recovery housing is a safe and reliable option.”
“As the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) develops national recovery housing best practices, it is absolutely crucial that SAMHSA consult with local governments regarding their experiences with these facilities. Incorporating local governments’ lessons learned and data collected into the best practices will result in better and stronger guidelines. The City of Costa Mesa strongly supports an open dialogue between experienced local governments and SAMHSA in the pursuit of healthier and safer communities,” said Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley.
The letter was also signed by Representatives David Trone (MD-6), Gil Cisneros (CA-39), Katie Porter (CA-45), Katie Hill (CA-25), Jason Crow (CO-6), Mike Levin (CA-49), and TJ Cox (CA-21).
Sec. 7031 in the SUPPORT Act directs the Department of Health and Human Services to work with relevant agencies and stakeholders to identify or facilitate the development of best practices for operating recovery housing and common indicators for fraudulent recovery housing operators. The letter urges that local governments be included as one of those stakeholders.
Although sober living homes are intended to provide alcohol and drug-free living environments for those impacted by the ongoing opioid/addiction crisis, some unethical operators have “cast suspicion on recovery residences generally and have complicated the efforts of families, treatment centers, and court systems to identify safe, supportive, well run, and affordable recovery housing,” according to The President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis.
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