NEC Endorses SUPPORT Act Reauthorization
On April 17, 2024, the New England Council sent a letter to the New England Senate delegation expressing support for the reauthorization of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention That Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act ( S. 3393). The letter outlined how critical the SUPPORT Act has been in addressing the mental and physical challenges facing our region, and emphasized that reauthorizing and expanding upon the SUPPORT Act is essential for bolstering the comprehensive federal response to the opioid crisis. First enacted in 2018, the SUPPORT Act provides funding for community-based treatment and recovery programs, and also required Medicaid to cover medications for opioid use disorder.
In December 2023, similar legislation was passed by the House by an overwhelming margin, with the majority of the New England Representatives voting in favor of the bill.
The importance of this legislation was a key topic of discussion at the Council’s Behavioral Health Forum in December 2023. You can watch the program HERE.
For more information on the NEC Healthcare Committee, please contact Sean Malone.