Rep. Pettersen Statement on Senate Passage of Her Bipartisan SUPPORT Act, Now Expected to Be Signed Into Law

Today, U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) released the following statement after the Senate passed her and Congressman Brett Guthrie's bipartisan bill - the Support for Patients and Communities Act - authorizing funding for critical prevention, treatment, and recovery substance use disorder (SUD) programs. After passage, the legislation now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law.

Pettersen's own mother struggled with a decades-long battle with addiction after being overprescribed opioids. Inspired by her mom's struggle, Rep. Pettersen has fought to expand access to treatment to help people like her mother receive the care they need, including passing a bill that directed Colorado to apply for a Section 1115 Waiver to cover residential and inpatient treatment for individuals struggling with addiction. In the first year alone, this waiver increased access to substance use disorder treatment by 60% and 15,000 Coloradans were able to get the care they needed. Colorado also saw a 35% decline in fentanyl-related deaths in this past year.

"At a time when the Trump administration is dismantling the agency that oversees treatment and recovery services and taking away health care from people struggling with addiction, protecting these programs is more important than ever," said Pettersen. "In my fight to save my mom's life, I saw how broken our system is, and I've been working every day to fix it. Colorado has led the way by expanding treatment and making resources like Narcan widely available. With unanimous Senate passage, we're one step closer to protecting that progress and ensuring people like my mom have the tools they need to rebuild their lives and live in recovery."

Specifically, the Support for Patients and Communities Act will:

• Expand access to naloxone for first-responders and community members;
• Provide substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for pregnant and postpartum women;
• Address SUD workforce shortages by expanding loan repayment programs and fellowship opportunities for healthcare providers;
• Increase access to peer-led recovery support services;
• Fund Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers; and
• Promote the prevention of overdoses through prescription drug monitoring programs.

The legislation is endorsed by over 160 vital substance use disorder treatment and recovery organizations, including Faces and Voices of Recovery, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare, and Mental Health Colorado.

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