Yesterday the Senate passed the Comprehensive Addictions and Recovery Act (S.524), also known as CARA. This legislation was passed with a vote of 94-1 and now moves on to the House for its consideration.
“On behalf of Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. (CFLR, Inc.), I would like to thank the Senate for its approval of CARA, specifically New York Senator Kristen Gillibrand and New York Senator Chuck Schumer. This is a major breakthrough for the recovery community, both locally and nationally,”’ as stated by Cassandra Sheets, LMSW and CEO of CFLR, Inc.
“CARA is very important to the work of CFLR, Inc. because it approves much-needed funding for evidence-based prevention, treatment and recovery programs to help Americans struggling with addiction to heroin or other opioids,” Sheets further stated.
The abuse of heroin and prescription painkillers is an ongoing battle that our nation continues to fight. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdoses now surpass automobile accidents as the leading cause of injury-related death for Americans between the ages of 25 and 64. More than 100 Americans die as a result of overdose in this country every day.
Addiction is a treatable disease, and CARA provides the opportunity to treat and prevent. CARA authorizes $600 million for grants that could be used for treatment and recovery services, alternatives to prison for nonviolent offenders, law enforcement initiatives and programs to prevent overdose deaths and improper prescriptions. In short, CARA would:
- Expand access to addiction treatment, including medication-assisted treatment for heroin and opioid dependence.
- Provide funds for addiction recovery programming and substance use prevention efforts.
- Create new opportunities for people to receive drug treatment instead of incarceration.
