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Progress is finally underway for those fighting the opioid addiction epidemic. To help the nation battle the ongoing addiction issue, the U.S. Senate passed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) on July 13. The new legislation will provide $181 million in federal grants to help States combat rising opioid and heroin abuse. Here’s how the new bill will work towards curbing opioid addiction:
Increase substance abuse and addiction education. Educational programs catered towards different groups, such as teens, parents, and the elderly, will be created. Outreach of these programs will be improved upon.
Expand disposal sites for prescription drugs. CARA hopes to prevent minors from accessing unused or old medication by providing more disposal sites.
Provide more resources for those who are incarcerated. Incarcerated individuals suffering from addiction will be given better options for treatment. Furthermore, CARA pushes for the treatment of individuals with substance abuse disorder by offering alternatives to incarceration.
Enhance methods of identifying individuals at risk of drug addiction. Monitoring programs will be adjusted to better detect those who may need help early on.
More health care professionals can administer medication. The new bill will allow health care workers, like physical assistants and nurse practitioners, to administer opioid addiction medication, including buprenorphine.
Allow more first responders to administer naloxone. As the medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, naloxone will be more available to first responders and law enforcement.
With these measures, Congress has begun to take steps towards treating addiction as a disease. CARA is the first comprehensive addiction legislation passed in decades, and the first time long-term addiction recovery has been supported by Congress. Though much more effort is required to begin slowing the addiction epidemic, including passing funding for the legislation, CARA will help stamp out the stigma surrounding addiction.
If you or a loved one are ready to beat addiction, look no further than the holistic treatment offered at Casa Recovery. Located in beautiful Orange County, CA, Casa Recovery provides drug addiction treatment programs. Feel free to visit our friendly staff in San Juan Capistrano, CA today for a tour, or contact us today to begin your road to recovery.