Sherrill and Kim Fight for Stronger Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Treatment Programs

Washington, DC — Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) reintroduced the Solutions Not Stigmas Act this week, which bolsters substance use disorder prevention and treatment programs in New Jersey and nationwide.

“The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the growing opioid epidemic across the country, including right here in New Jersey. Thanks to the tireless work of our health care professionals and first responders, New Jersey actually saw a decrease in the number of fatal drug overdoses last year – and we must continue to do more to make sure this number continues to decline,” said Rep. Sherrill. “I am proud to partner with Congressman Kim to introduce legislation that will provide our medical professionals the resources they need to save lives, support families, and end this epidemic.”

“The opioid epidemic has crushed communities and families across New Jersey and our nation, and people need our support in this fight,” said Rep. Kim. “I am proud to continue standing with leading health organizations to introduce this bill that will open the possibility for informed conversations and give more people the tools necessary to tackle addiction and substance use disorders that will save lives. We get much closer to long-term solutions by spreading awareness, breaking down bias, and bringing more people into this conversation. I hope this bill begins that process and helps communities support people with substance use disorders.”

The Solutions Not Stigmas Act is aimed at halting the prevalence of opioid overprescribing. This bill would provide resources for health professional schools to develop their curricula to address existing stigma and bias, improve patient care, and increase preparedness with respect to substance use disorder and chronic pain treatment. The funding would also support clinical training experiences in primary care, mental, and behavioral health.

During her first term in office, Rep. Sherrill helped form the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, a bipartisan effort to promote policies to end the addiction crisis. She was instrumental in securing critical funding for State Opioid Response Grants and Tribal Opioid Response Grants to help states to reduce overdose related deaths through prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts.