Contact: Aaron White
Phone: 202-225-5506
[email protected]
Bills are part of Rep. Kind’s 2018 Drug Epidemic Action Plan
La Crosse – Today, U.S. Rep. Ron Kind voted in favor of a number of bills addressing the growing opioid and drug crisis in Wisconsin and across the country. The bills reflect the priorities included in Rep. Ron Kind’s Drug Epidemic Action Plan, which he recently introduced.
“Combating Wisconsin’s drug epidemic requires all of us to come together to break the cycle of addiction,” said Rep. Ron Kind. “Wisconsin healthcare providers, treatment centers, and law enforcement officials are working hard to end Wisconsin’s cycle of opioid and drug addiction and heal our communities. I am proud to join the fight by voting to provide our communities with more resources to combat this epidemic, and expand treatment for affected Wisconsinites and families.”
The bills passed this week will help prevent drug trafficking, expand treatment options for those suffering from drug addiction, and encourage alternative pain management techniques. Additional bills are expected to be voted on next week.
Rep. Kind’s Drug Epidemic Action Plan was created in collaboration with Wisconsin law enforcement officials, community health centers, medical professionals, drug treatment officials, and families of those suffering from addiction, and includes five main components:
- Provide Support to Law Enforcement and Communities and Intercept Drugs at the Border
- Expand Access to Treatment
- Encourage Alternative Pain Treatments
- Improve Prescribing Practices
- Increase Access to Mental Health Care through Medicaid Expansion
Over 64,000 people in the United States died from drug related overdose in 2016, 42,000 from opioids alone. In Wisconsin, emergency room visits for opioid overdoses more than doubled over the course of a year.
Read more about Rep. Kind’s Drug Epidemic Action Plan here.
