Families demand action: We must treat addiction like any other disease

We are two of the millions of people across the country who have lost our loved ones to addiction—an entirely preventable and treatable disease.

More than 21 million Americans are currently suffering from this disease. And, every day in this country, 174 people die from a drug overdose, which is the leading cause of injury-related deaths in the U.S. – accounting for more than those caused by motor vehicles and firearms. That’s like if two 747 planes crashed every week for an entire year. This leaves hundreds of thousands of family members like us to grieve and seek for a way to help end this epidemic.

{mosads}While we can’t bring our loved ones back, we know that we can help the millions of other families struggling with addiction and prevent others from experiencing the same staggering loss that we must live with.

That is why on April 25 we are honored to join more than 300 family members in Washington, D.C who, like us, have been impacted by addiction. Together, we will honor our loved ones by advocating that addiction be treated like any other disease.

We are grateful that Congress just appropriated the largest investment in U.S. history to address the drug crisis—$7.4 billion. This is a monumental step that will help us in our fight, yet there is still so much to be done. We are currently working with Congress on 40 different legislative proposals to help combat addiction. When we meet with our legislators, we will ask for three critical pieces of legislation.

First, we ask our senators to co-sponsor the Opioid Crisis Response Act (OCRA) of 2018. This legislation would enhance research and discovery efforts, support first responders, improve the efficiency of state grants, encourage the use of recovery supports, develop integrated care models to address treatment gaps, and expand the use of telemedicine.

Second, we ask our elected officials to co-sponsor the Preventing Overdoses While in Emergency Rooms (POWER) Act of 2018, which is in both chambers. This bill would provide emergency departments with the resources and tools needed to develop evidence-based protocols for screening overdose patients, initiate treatment with FDA-approved medications in the hospital, and provide rapid referrals to evidence-based treatment before a patient is discharged. It would also help hospitals develop and implement best practices for care coordination and integrated care models for long-term treatment and recovery services.

Third, we ask our elected officials to co-sponsor the Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers (CORC) Act of 2018. This legislation would provide resources to operate comprehensive treatment and recovery centers, which will provide the full spectrum of evidence-based treatment services including intake evaluations and regular assessments, all FDA-approved treatments for SUDs, detoxification, counseling, residential rehabilitation, recovery support services, pharmacy and toxicology services, and interoperable electronic health information systems.

We are advocating for action in Congress because we know we can reduce the number of Americans who suffer from addiction by addressing it like we would any other disease. The OCRA, POWER and CORC acts – as well as many others – can help our country turn the tables on addiction.

We are emboldened by the memory of our loved ones. Together, we stand tall, our voices lifted and our commitment unwavering. Addiction is a disease that must come out of the shadows. We are coming forward to demand action and save millions of American lives.

Aimee Manzoni D’Arpino is Director of Community Outreach at Addiction Policy Forum. After she lost her son Emmett’s to substance use disorder in 2016, she vowed to not let her son’s death be in vain and has been actively working to help end the stigma of addiction and help other families find essential resources. Jessica Hulsey Nickel is the founder and President & CEO of the Addiction Policy Forum. Both of Jessica’s parents struggled with heroin addiction, which led to her own homelessness and time in foster care, and eventually her mother’s incarceration.