The Senate Passes The CARA Bill

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On Wednesday the Senate passed the CARA bill by an overwhelming vote. The approved bill is intended to change the way America handles drug addiction and opioid painkiller addiction. The bill which had previously pass the House of Representatives will now be on Presidents Obama’s desk awaiting approval early next week. Some are calling this the “Bill to Battle Heroin Addiction “and recovery advocates and addiction professionals across the nation have been pushing for such a bill for a while.  After months of wrangling, the bill has made its way to President Obama and he is expected to sign. This news comes as a relief to those who suffer from opioid painkiller addiction and heroin addiction, and those family members who have been directly affected by drug addiction. The bill aims to help communities develop drug treatment and drug overdose programs for the estimated 2.2 million Americans addicted to opioid painkillers and heroin. U.S. deaths from drug overdoses hit a record high in 2014, propelled by abuse of prescription painkillers and heroin addiction, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 28,000 people died from opioid overdose in 2014. Heroin-related deaths have also increased sharply, more than tripling since 2010. In 2014, more than 10,500 people died from heroin, the agency said. The bill authorizes $181 million a year for new programs it creates. Many believe that the bill falls far short for funding the heroin addiction in America, but any action towards fighting the epidemic is a step in the right direction. Supporters of the bill, which passed the Senate 92-to-2 believe it will dramatically change the trajectory of the addiction crisis that has claimed the lives of thousands of Americans.

“This is a historic moment, the first time in decades that Congress has passed comprehensive addiction legislation, and the first time Congress has ever supported long-term addiction recovery,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a chief author of the legislation. “This is also the first time that we’ve treated addiction like the disease that it is, which will help put an end to the stigma that has surrounded addiction for too long.”

The bill, called the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act if enacted into law, also would provide new training for emergency personnel in administering drugs to reverse opioid overdoses and help communities purchase those drugs. It would also promote alternatives to incarceration for those with substance-abuse problems and expand access to naloxone, which reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.

At Nova Recovery Center we offer heroin addiction treatment and opioid addiction treatment along with drug treatment. Our 90-Day program model allows enough time for the drug addict to reclaim their life from drugs. Clients are given the necessary tools to overcome their addictions and find a life in recovery. If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, contact Nova Recovery Center today for help. Our staff works 24/7 to ensure the best quality of care for our clients.