Peer Support Communities of Recovery Act

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Pallone for the time and for his leadership. I thank Chairman Walden and his team for their work on this important piece of legislation, and, again, special recognition of the work of Mr. Johnson and his staff of Ohio for being so willing to work on this important policy and for the incredible team that he has assembled as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Peer Support Communities of Recovery Act.

Anyone who has heard me speak about opioids knows that I believe strongly that to address this opioid epidemic, we must address our Nation's workforce challenges. We have phenomenal providers in New Mexico, and Mr. Johnson has them in Ohio, but what we both know is that we don't have enough of them.

This is a numbers game. Unfortunately, the number of people with substance use disorder far surpasses the number of providers and treatment staff. That is where peer support recovery specialists come in.

For those of you who haven't heard me talk about this or who did not tune in to hear our Energy and Commerce Committee witnesses throughout the hearing process, peer support recovery specialists are people who have lived and experienced, sadly, the challenges with substance abuse, who have fought against their addiction and are in recovery, and who have received training to help others who are in the midst of the fight now. Peer support recovery specialists provide immediate, ongoing support and treatment linkages to individuals in recovery.

As Carlene Deal-Smith, a peer support recovery specialist of the Totah Behavioral Health Authority program in Farmington, New Mexico, testified:

Being able to connect to our patients both through our

shared heritage and shared struggles with addiction has

allowed me to function as a bridge between them, the staff,

and the community. This work has enabled me to be effective

as a community support worker and mentor. Most importantly, I

am living proof that recovery can happen.

These people provide an incredibly important service to the community. Peer support programs also mean jobs for individuals who may not otherwise find those opportunities. Ms. Deal-Smith explained to us this job got her through hard times in her own journey with substance use and made her feel proud to serve the community and help her people in such an important way.

I am grateful that the House has acknowledged the importance of these programs, and I am hopeful that the Senate will do the same very soon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5587, the Peer Support Communities of Recovery.

H.R. 5587 provides for the establishment of regional assistance centers to implement addiction recovery support services throughout an individual's treatment.

Everyday, over 100 people in the United States die from opioid related drug overdoses, while over 11.5 million people misuse prescription opioids.

In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report cited 63,632 drug overdose deaths in the U.S., with a linearly increasing trend.

In Texas, there were 1,375 opioid-related overdose deaths and within Houston alone, there were 364 drug-related overdose deaths that happened in 2016 according to the Treatment Center.

The U.S. is going through a serious drug abuse epidemic and the resources available for recovering addicts are currently limited in variability.

Peer support services are unique in that they allow for individuals with common experiences to share their stories of recovery with the people who might be seeking help.

Through self-help and shared support, people are able to offer strength and hope to their peers, which allows for personal growth, promotes wellness, and encourages recovery.

Examples of peer support include: peer mentoring or coaching; peer recovery resource connecting; recovery group facilitation; and community building.

In Houston, we have peer support programs that exist for both adults and youth through the Houston Health Department and Houston Recovery Center.

H.R. 5587 authorizes programs, similar to the ones that are having a positive impact in Houston, to be established across the country to serve other communities.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5587 to ensure that we are addressing substance abuse in the United States as efficiently as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5587, the Peer Support Communities of Recovery.

H.R. 5587 provides for the establishment of regional assistance centers to implement addiction recovery support services throughout an individual's treatment.

Everyday, over 100 people in the United States die from opioid related drug overdoses, while over 11.5 million people misuse prescription opioids.

In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report cited 63,632 drug overdose deaths in the U.S., with a linearly increasing trend.

In Texas, there were 1,375 opioid-related overdose deaths and within Houston alone, there were 364 drug-related overdose deaths that happened in 2016 according to the Treatment Center.

The U.S. is going through a serious drug abuse epidemic and the resources available for recovering addicts are currently limited in variability.

Peer support services are unique in that they allow for individuals with common experiences to share their stories of recovery with the people who might be seeking help.

Through self-help and shared support, people are able to offer strength and hope to their peers, which allows for personal growth, promotes wellness, and encourages recovery.

Examples of peer support include: peer mentoring or coaching; peer recovery resource connecting; recovery group facilitation; and community building.

In Houston, we have peer support programs that exist for both adults and youth through the Houston Health Department and Houston Recovery Center.

H.R. 5587 authorizes programs, similar to the ones that are having a positive impact in

Houston, to be established across the country to serve other communities.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5587 to ensure that we are addressing substance abuse in the United States as efficiently as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5587, the Peer Support Communities of Recovery Act.

I want to thank Mr. Lujan for sponsoring this bill, but also for being the major sponsor of many of the pieces of legislation that we have discussed today and we are passing today as part of this opioid package.

This bill would amend the existing Communities of Recovery grant program to allow SAMHSA to provide funding for regional technical assistance centers. These centers would provide technical assistance for the implementation of regionally driven, peer-delivered addiction recovery support services, establishment of recovery community organizations, and establishment of recovery community centers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Ben Ray Lujan).

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5587) to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize certain recovery services grants to be used to establish regional technical assistance centers, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on this matter and would encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.