Steve Stivers: “I would like to thank the chairman for all of his work to help with this bill. I speak today on behalf of myself and my…”

“I would like to thank the chairman for all of his work to help with this bill. I speak today on behalf of myself and my colleague Mr. Engel in support of our evidence-based treatment for opioid addiction bill, H.R. 5272. The opioid epidemic is hurting communities all across this country. In 2016, 174 Americans overdosed per day. Ohio had the second highest death rate in the Nation. Overdoses killed 4,329 people in Ohio, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. For the past 5 years, I have held a roundtable on drugs and opioids in my district with stakeholders, including law enforcement, treatment professionals, government officials, and community leaders from all around. A common concern I have heard in these roundtables and that I hear consistently in my district is that treatment programs exist, but many are not delivering on their promise. Healthcare professionals and those on the front lines have continuously told me about the lack of evidence-based treatment for those suffering from addiction and substance use disorders, and that can lead to unsuccessful results. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, between 40 and 60 percent of individuals who suffer from drug addiction are known to relapse. It is often estimated that the rehabilitation programs are only about 30 percent effective, although nobody knows the true number.…”