{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.donnelly.senate.gov/newsroom/press/donnelly-and-murkowski-push-for-national-health-service-corps-expansion-to-combat-opioid-abuse", "Donnelly and Murkowski Push for National Health Service Corps Expansion to Combat Opioid Abuse", "2017-11-20", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "IN", "Joe Donnelly", "D000607", "www.donnelly.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Donnelly and Murkowski Push for National Health Service Corps Expansion to Combat Opioid Abuse\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tSenators\u2019 bipartisan approach would help rural and underserved areas that lack adequate substance abuse treatment providers\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, November 20, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tIndianapolis, Ind. \u2013 U.S. Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today called on Senate leaders to do more to combat substance use disorders and the workforce shortage facing treatment providers in rural and underserved communities. Donnelly and Murkowski sent a letter asking for more resources to be dedicated to the addiction treatment workforce shortage and for the reauthorization and expansion of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) student loan repayment and forgiveness program to include addiction treatment facilities.\r\nIn June, Donnelly and Murkowski introduced the Strengthening the Addiction Treatment Workforce Act, which would make addiction treatment facilities eligible for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) student loan repayment and forgiveness program.\r\nDonnelly and Murkowski said, in part in their letter to Senate leaders, \u201cAs you know our country is currently experiencing an opioid crisis\u2026The epidemic has been particularly devastating in underserved areas that lack adequate treatment providers\u2026 In response to President Trump\u2019s public health emergency declaration, we strongly encourage you to move quickly to reauthorize this program, increase its funding, and expand eligible treatment facilities to include addiction treatment as outlined in our bill the Strengthening the Addiction Treatment Workforce Act.\u2026The President was right to declare the opioid epidemic a national public health emergency, but additional progress will require Congress to invest more in\u00a0addiction treatment and recovery efforts, especially in rural and underserved areas.\u201d\r\nThe full letter can be read below or by clicking here.\r\nNovember 20, 2017\r\nSenator Mitch McConnell\r\nUnited States Capitol Building\r\nSenator Charles E. Schumer\r\nUnited States Capitol Building\r\nDear Leader McConnell and Leader Schumer,\r\nAs you know our country is currently experiencing an opioid crisis.\u00a0In our home states of Indiana and Alaska, the epidemic has been particularly devastating in underserved areas that lack adequate treatment providers.\u00a0While we welcome President Trump\u2019s recent declaration of a public health emergency, there is more that Congress can do to help those struggling with opioid addiction.\u00a0\r\nPrograms like the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) are specifically designed to encourage health professionals to work in medically underserved areas.\u00a0The authorization for the NHSC, however, recently expired on September 30, 2017.\u00a0In response to President Trump\u2019s public health emergency declaration, we strongly encourage you to move quickly to reauthorize this program, increase its funding, and expand eligible treatment facilities to include addiction treatment as outlined in our bill the Strengthening the Addiction Treatment Workforce Act.\r\nAccording to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 22 million Americans aged 12 or older have experienced a substance use disorder, such as opioid addiction. However, only 1 in 10 people receive addiction treatment services, in part due to a shortage in the addiction treatment workforce.\r\nIn order to address this challenge, we have introduced the bipartisan Strengthening the Addiction Treatment Workforce Act. This bill would help address the shortage of providers who treat people battling substance use disorders by making addiction treatment facilities eligible for the NHSC student loan repayment and forgiveness program. Qualifying facilities must be primarily engaged in serving individuals living with or in recovery from substance use disorders, and have a license, certification, or accreditation required by the state.\r\nThe facility must also provide, at a minimum, outpatient counseling, FDA-approved medication-assisted treatment, other evidence-based ambulatory services, or residential treatment services, and other evidence-based opioid addiction treatment and recovery services. Our bill would allow addiction treatment facilities to attract and retain a well-trained workforce in medically underserved areas and expand the number of health care providers, including nurses, social workers, counselors, psychologists, and therapists, who care for people struggling with substance use disorders.\r\nThe President was right to declare the opioid epidemic a national public health emergency, but additional progress will require Congress to invest more in\u00a0addiction treatment and recovery efforts, especially in rural and underserved areas. We look forward to working with you on these efforts.\r\nSincerely,\r\nJoe Donnelly\r\nUnited States Senator\r\nLisa Murkowski\r\nUnited States Senator\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.donnelly.senate.gov/newsroom/press/donnelly-and-murkowski-push-for-national-health-service-corps-expansion-to-combat-opioid-abuse"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3805229682475328, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}