Combating the Substance Misuse Crisis
“The fentanyl, heroin, and opioid crisis is the most pressing public health and safety challenge facing New Hampshire, and states across our country. I am committed to working with anyone who is serious about ensuring that those on the front lines have the resources and support that they need to stem – and ultimately reverse – the deadly tide of this epidemic.” – Senator Hassan
Senator Hassan is working across party lines to strengthen prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement efforts to help save lives and combat the devastating opioid epidemic. As part of these efforts, Senator Hassan helped to secure more than $50 million in additional federal funding for New Hampshire to support those on the front lines of this epidemic – including by working with the Trump Administration to ensure that hardest-hit states like New Hampshire are prioritized.
Additionally, Senator Hassan worked to secure critical priorities for New Hampshire in comprehensive, bipartisan opioid legislation that the President signed into law in 2018. The bipartisan legislation included measures introduced by Senator Hassan to expand opioid recovery centers, crack down on bad actors in the pharmaceutical industry, train more doctors to prescribe medication-assisted treatment, and more.
To support law enforcement on the front lines of this epidemic, Senator Hassan joined colleagues in introducing the bipartisan STOP Act – which was included in the comprehensive bill that the President signed – to help curb the shipment of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs sent through the U.S. Postal Service to drug traffickers in the United States. Senator Hassan also cosponsored the bipartisan INTERDICT Act, which the President signed into law, to ensure that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has the tools that it needs to detect and intercept fentanyl and other illegal synthetic opioids at the border.
Additionally, Senator Hassan will continue to speak out against efforts to undermine Americans’ health care, such as proposals to repeal Medicaid expansion, which experts have called the number one tool to help combat the opioid crisis. The Senator also remains focused on working across the aisle to strengthen the substance misuse workforce, eliminate barriers to medication-assisted treatment, increase funding for and improve the standards of recovery housing, and support children and grandchildren impacted by this crisis.
This epidemic is affecting Granite Staters and Americans from all walks of life, and Senator Hassan will keep working to ensure that the federal government is providing the additional funding and resources needed to support those on the front lines.
Related News
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September 04, 2019
NH Delegation Announces More Than $26.6 Million in Funding to Combat Substance Use Disorder Epidemic
( Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) announced the award of over $26.6 million in federal funding to help combat the substance use disorder epidemic. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the award of $22,982,608 in grants for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, under the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant program. This is the second allotment of $22.9 million to be made available to the state due to the New Hampshire congressional delegation’s successful negotiations of the bipartisan budget agreement in 2018. Thanks to the delegation’s efforts, New Hampshire will receive a total of nearly $35 million in SOR grants in FY 2019, more than a ten-fold increase compared to FY 2017. New Hampshire will use the SOR grant dollars to increase access to substance use disorder treatment and recovery supports, and enhance efforts to prevent substance misuse.
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August 22, 2019
Senator Hassan Encouraged by Administration’s Fentanyl Trafficking Actions, Calls for Continued Efforts
WASHINGTON - In an effort to curb international fentanyl and synthetic opioid trafficking, the Office of National Drug Control Policy this week announced private-sector advisories to help banks and other businesses identify and alert law enforcement to possible drug trafficking. In addition, the Department of Treasury announced sanctions on three Chinese nationals it identified as foreign narcotics traffickers.
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August 19, 2019
Nashua Telegraph: Opinion: Senator Hassan: Increasing access to vital substance misuse treatment is imperative
It defies logic that a doctor who can prescribe opioids, is in many cases, not also permitted to prescribe vital treatment for people struggling with substance use disorders.
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August 07, 2019
Senator Hassan Addresses Need to Expand Substance Misuse Treatment Options at Riverbend Community Mental Health
CONCORD - Senator Maggie Hassan visited Riverbend Community Mental Health yesterday to discuss the importance of expanding medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder, and the ways Riverbend is supporting families and communities struggling with addiction.
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August 06, 2019
NH Delegation Announces Nearly $150K for NH to Combat Recidivism Among Granite Staters Struggling with Substance Use Disorder
(Washington, DC)- U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced with Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) that the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded New Hampshire $149,405 through the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Program. The RSAT program helps states develop and institute programs at correctional and detention facilities for those struggling with substance use disorder in an effort to stem the tide of the crisis and reduce recidivism related to drug related offenses. Shaheen is the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds Department of Justice programs.
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July 25, 2019
Senator Hassan Blasts Rule Allowing Dark Money to Finance Opioid Misinformation Campaigns in Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON - Senator Maggie Hassan, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing yesterday, blasted a ruling by the Treasury Department and the IRS that allows “dark money” groups to hide the identities of their major donors from law enforcement. That Treasury/IRS ruling could make it more difficult for law enforcement to hold opioid manufacturers accountable for funding the spread of fraudulent misinformation on opioid addiction. The ruling was made without any public notice or comment period.
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July 24, 2019
NH Delegation Announces New Federal Grant Funding to Support Franklin First Responders on Front Lines of Opioid Epidemic
( U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representative Annie Kuster (NH-02) announced that the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development agency has awarded $48,600 in federal funding to the city of Franklin. The funding will be used to purchase a new ambulance, allowing the city to more adequately respond to medical emergencies, including substance misuse, in what is a hard-hit area in the opioid epidemic. The fire department has two ambulances, with one currently out of service, significantly reducing the city’s emergency response capability.
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