Senators Hassan, Shaheen Lead Roundtable Discussion on Substance Misuse with Laconia Police Department, Treatment and Recovery Providers

Senators Hassan, Shaheen Lead Roundtable Discussion on Substance Misuse with Laconia Police Department, Treatment and Recovery Providers

Senators Hassan and Shaheen lead a roundtable discussion on substance misuse.

LACONIA - Today, Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen led a roundtable discussion on substance misuse with Laconia Police Chief Chris Adams, Fire Deputy Chief Shawn Riley, and local recovery and treatment providers who expressed their concerns about the harmful impact that repealing the Affordable Care Actwould have onefforts to combat the heroin, opioid, and fentanyl crisis. Participants at the roundtableparticularly highlighted the critical role thatNew Hampshire's bipartisan Medicaid expansion plays in providing access to substance misuse treatment services.

"The heroin, opioid, and fentanyl crisis is the most pressing public health and safety challenge facing our state, and we must continue to take action at all levels of government to stem, and ultimately reverse, the tide of this epidemic," said Senator Hassan. "Today's roundtableunderscored that Trumpcare would jeopardize effortsto combat the substance misuse crisis by rolling backMedicaid expansion, cutting and capping the Medicaid program,and removingthe requirement that Medicaid cover substance use disorder and behavioral health services.We cannot allow partisan politics to undermine the critical work of those on the front lines of this crisis, and I will continue to work with Senator Shaheen and our colleagues to fight back against efforts in Washington that would undermine our efforts to combat substance misuse."

"While the opioid epidemic has continued to devastate Granite State families and communities, Medicaid expansion has been an indispensable tool in our efforts to stem the tide of the opioid crisis in New Hampshire," said Senator Shaheen. "However, as we heard at this morning's roundtable, Trumpcare would severely jeopardize the progress we have made to combat the opioid crisis and would be catastrophic for thousands of Granite Staters who are recovering from substance use disorders. Terminating lifesaving treatment for millions of Americans is unconscionable. I will continue to fight on behalf of New Hampshire families whose loved ones have been affected by this tragic crisis and who rely on the Affordable Care Act to access lifesaving treatment. There must be no retreat in the fight against the opioid epidemic."

Senators Hassan and Shaheen joined a group of nine senators earlier this month to re-introduce the Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment Act (LifeBOAT Act), which would establish a permanent funding stream to provide and expand access to substance misuse treatment. Last month, Senator Hassan joined a bipartisan group of Senators to introduce the Synthetic Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, which would help stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl and carefentanil from being shipped through our borders to drug traffickers here in the United States.

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