Shaheen Participates in National Recovery Month Summit at the White House
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) delivered opening remarks at the White House’s National Recovery Month Summit, hosted by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Along with Shaheen, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Director (ONDCP) Dr. Gupta and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon also provided opening remarks ahead of two panel discussions that focused on supporting youth in recovery and strengthening recovery-ready workplaces.
You can find Senator Shaheen’s opening remarks here.
“We have to be holistic about how we handle recovery, which is why I am so glad this discussion included employers supporting their staff through their recovery journeys, and youth discussing the pressures that lead them to addiction and the support that lead them out,” said Senator Shaheen. “No two patients are the same—each need and deserve unique support. This is one of the reasons why flexibility is critical at the federal, state and local levels to meet the needs of patients, surrounding communities and the evolving crisis.”
There are currently more than 20 million Americans who are in recovery from substance use disorder. President Biden has declared September as National Recovery Month, a time to celebrate the millions of Americans who are in recovery and recommit ourselves to making sure that everyone has access to the services and support they need to rebuild lives of purpose and hope.
Senator Shaheen has led efforts in the Senate to address the substance use disorder epidemic and support recovery services. Her bipartisan FENTANYL Results Act, signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), increases global cooperation in the fight against synthetic drug trafficking. Shaheen and Senator Marshall lead the Cooper Davis Act, which is a bipartisan bill to hold social media companies accountable for reporting to law enforcement all illicit fentanyl activity occurring on their platforms. In the FY 2023 government funding legislation, Shaheen secured $608 million in federal grants to help communities and first responders across the nation to respond to the substance misuse crisis. Shaheen also included in the FY 2023 government funding bill language to authorize increased funding for the State Opioid Response grant program, which gives local communities resources to better combat the opioid and substance use disorder epidemic. In August, Shaheen visited Hope on Haven Hill’s Center for Hope and Wellness and Abi’s Place in Rochester to discuss their work to combat the substance use disorder crisis in New Hampshire by providing supportive housing and resources for women on their road to recovery.
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