Combating the Substance Misuse Crisis
The heroin, fentanyl, and opioid crisis is the most pressing public health and safety challenge facing New Hampshire, taking a massive toll on our communities, our workforce, and our economy.
During her time as Governor, Senator Hassan worked to implement a comprehensive strategy to support those on the front lines and help save lives. Working across party lines, she secured funding to strengthen treatment, prevention, recovery, and law enforcement efforts. Under her leadership, New Hampshire increased penalties for fentanyl distribution, began investigating overdose deaths as homicides, reformed the state’s prescribing rules, and expanded the state’s prescription drug monitoring system.
Under then-Governor Hassan’s leadership, New Hampshire successfully passed and reauthorized a bipartisan Medicaid expansion plan, one of the state’s most powerful tools in fighting the epidemic because it covers mental health and substance use disorder services.
Senator Hassan is building on those efforts in the Senate, fighting to secure additional resources for New Hampshire and standing up against attempts to repeal Medicaid expansion. She is also focused on stopping dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl from being shipped through our borders, helping law enforcement crack down on synthetic substances and better prosecute drug traffickers, and establishing a permanent funding stream to provide and expand access to substance use disorder treatment. And she is working across party lines to help ensure that health care providers and patients understand the addiction risks of so-called “abuse-deterrent” opioids.
The Senator has also spoken out on the need to end the stigma of addiction that prevents too many in New Hampshire and across America from reaching out to get help.
Senator Hassan is willing to work with anyone to help those struggling with addiction get the treatment that they need and to support all of the dedicated professionals on the front lines battling this crisis.
Related News
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February 15, 2019
Senator Hassan Statement on Reports that President Trump Will Take Funding from Drug Interdiction Efforts, Military Construction Projects to Build Wall
WASHINGTON - Senator Maggie Hassan issued the following statement today on President Trump’s reported plans to take $2.5 billion from the Pentagon’s drug interdiction program and $3.6 billion from the Pentagon’s military construction budget as part of his national emergency declaration to build a wall at the southern border:
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February 06, 2019
Senator Hassan Receives Congressional Leadership Award From Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America for Her Work to Combat Substance Misuse
WASHINGTON - Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today received the Congressional Leadership Award from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) for her bipartisan work to combat the devastating substance misuse crisis. CADCA works to strengthen the capacity of community coalitions to create and maintain safe, healthy, and drug-free communities globally. To learn more about CADCA click here.
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February 06, 2019
Senator Hassan Responds to President Trump’s State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON - Senator Maggie Hassan issued the following statement tonight in response to President Trump’s State of the Union address. The Senator brought Donna Beckman of Seabrook, a Granite Stater who faced a surprise medical bill, as her guest. Donna received a surprise medical bill for $1,648 following a visit to an emergency room that was in her insurance network, and was only later told that a doctor she saw was actually out-of-network. Senator Hassan is leading efforts in Congress to address surprise medical bills.
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December 20, 2018
Bipartisan Farm Bill with Hassan-Supported Provision to Reauthorize Northern Border Regional Commission and Other Critical New Hampshire Priorities Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON - President Trump signed into law today the bipartisan Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 – also known as the “Farm Bill” – that includes a provision Senator Maggie Hassan cosponsored to reauthorize the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) for five years and expand the program to Cheshire and Belknap counties. The bipartisan legislation also includes additional resources and support for critical New Hampshire priorities, including boosting New Hampshire’s agricultural industry, helping to prevent Granite Staters from going hungry, expanding access to broadband, and supporting efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
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December 19, 2018
Senator Hassan on New Congressional Report on the Diversion of Prescription Opioids
WASHINGTON - Senator Hassan released the following statement on a new report from the House Energy and Commerce Committee that found that drug distributors and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) failed in their responsibility to prevent the diversion of prescription opioids for illicit uses:
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December 18, 2018
Senator Hassan Votes to Approve Bipartisan “First Step Act” to Reform Criminal Justice System
WASHINGTON - Senator Maggie Hassan today voted on the Senate floor to approve the bipartisan First Step Act, which would make much-needed reforms to the nation’s criminal justice system, including expanding treatment options for prisoners struggling with substance use disorders and increasing protections for pregnant prisoners.
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December 11, 2018
Senator Hassan Statement on Bipartisan Farm Bill Agreement that Includes Critical Priorities for New Hampshire
WASHINGTON - Senator Maggie Hassan issued the following statement after the final bill text for the bipartisan Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 was released - also known as the “Farm Bill.” The legislation includes critical support for New Hampshire’s agricultural industry and helps prevent Granite Staters from going hungry. The legislation also makes vital investments in the State’s rural communities and water infrastructure, and helps support efforts to combat the devastating fentanyl, heroin, and opioid epidemic.
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