Katherine Clark: “I am pleased to join with Representative Barletta to introduce this important bill to help the most vulnerable victims…”

“I am pleased to join with Representative Barletta to introduce this important bill to help the most vulnerable victims of the opioid epidemic. In every corner of our country, the opioid crisis is having a devastating effect. In Massachusetts, last year 1,379 people succumbed to fatal overdoses. Nationwide, drug overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death and we lose 129 people a day to fatal drug overdoses. This epidemic doesn't see race, gender, income, or political ideology and does not spare newborns and infants. We know that every 25 minutes a baby is born suffering from opioid withdrawal symptoms. This is a condition known as neonatal abstinence syndrome. While there is no silver bullet to address this crisis in our country, this bill takes important steps to help. This bill, the Infant Plan of Safe Care Improvement Act, strengthens and updates the care plans required by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974, also known as CAPTA. CAPTA itself is up for reauthorization. This is just one portion of that important legislation where timely reauthorization will protect children in many different and difficult situations. This legislation will help infants by ensuring that States have access to the best practices for establishing safe care plans for newborns with prenatal substance exposure.…”