releases: http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/tipton-votes-advance-landmark-opioid-abuse-mental-health-and-rare-disease-response
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/tipton-votes-advance-landmark-opioid-abuse-mental-health-and-rare-disease-response | Tipton Votes to Advance Landmark Opioid Abuse, Mental Health, and Rare Disease Response Bill | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Republican | House | CO | Scott Tipton | T000470 | tipton.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) voted on Wednesday to advance the 21st Century Cures Act, which is legislation that addresses the nation’s opioid abuse epidemic, growing mental health crises, and accelerates the development of cures for 7,000 rare diseases that affect families in Colorado and across the nation. The 21st Century Cures Act authorizes $1 billion in state grants to supplement opioid abuse prevention and treatment activities. “Over the past year, I’ve visited many of the communities that have been devastated by the opioid abuse epidemic that is sweeping our state and nation, and my team and I have worked to develop federal policies that will better allow our local stakeholders to address the crisis” Tipton said. “The 21st Century Cures Act puts federal resources where we need them the most: in the hands of the local governments, law enforcement officers, and health care providers who are best equipped to fight the opioid abuse epidemic in their own communities.” The bill also includes reforms to the mental health care system that are included in the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act (H.R. 2646), a bill that Tipton cosponsored earlier this year. The legislative package authorizes mental health block grants for community programs that serve adults with serious mental illness – schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc. – and children with serious emotional disturbance. The bill also makes reforms to the Medicaid program that will allow patients in the program to receive both physical and mental health services on the same day. Additionally, the bill includes a Sense of Congress that there needs to be more clarity about existing health care privacy laws to reduce confusion that may prevent effective communication between caregivers of patients with serious mental illness. “Mental illness has played a role in many of the tragedies that have impacted our communities, especially in rural areas, where our providers are struggling to maintain mental health services for the growing number of people who are in crisis. I’ve been proud to support these much-needed reforms to our mental health care system,” Tipton added. The primary focus of the 21st Century Cures Act is on accelerating the development of cures for the over 7,000 rare diseases in existence, the majority of which have no form of treatment. The bill re-prioritizes federal medical research spending to ensure accountability and results, and it also makes important reforms to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval process the get live-saving drugs and medical devices to patients faster. “There are 10,000 known diseases in the world, and 7,000 of them are considered rare diseases. Of these 7,000 rare diseases, there are treatments options for only 500 of them. Innovation in medicine is moving quickly, but our federal laws aren’t keeping up. With 21st Century Cures, we will ensure that the U.S. remains the leader of medical innovation, and we will be in a better position to deliver cures to the millions of people in our country who suffer from rare diseases,” Tipton said. The House expects the Senate to approve the current version of the 21st Century Cures Act soon. The bill will then move to the president’s desk to be signed into law. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |