Report by Paula Antolini
March 15, 2017 6:09PM EDT
Sen. Murphy to Announce New Legislation to Combat Opioid Addiction
Connecticut saw 917 overdose deaths in 2016
Murphy to hold events in Hartford & West Haven
**Thursday, March 16th**
HARTFORD – As the Connecticut opioid epidemic continues to grow, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) will host two events in Hartford and West Haven on Thursday to provide an update on his efforts to help Connecticut communities combat the opioid and addiction epidemic.
In Connecticut, deaths caused by drug overdoses have skyrocketed. In 2016, 917 Connecticut residents died from an overdose, a 25% increase from 2015.
LifeBOAT Act Announcement in Hartford
Murphy will join Dr. John Rodis, President of Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, to announce new legislation that will expand access to substance abuse treatment for Connecticut residents and help curb the state’s opioid epidemic. Murphy will unveil the Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment Act (LifeBOAT Act), a bill he introduced with U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) that would tax opioid manufacturers and use that funding to support opioid addiction treatment. Murphy will also discuss his efforts to fight back against Congressional Republicans’ effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would gut Medicaid and limit access to treatment for those struggling with addiction.
WHEN: Thursday, March 16th at 1:30pm
WHERE: Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Rotunda, 114 Woodland Street, Hartford, CT
Roundtable on Opioid Addiction in West Haven
Murphy and West Haven Mayor Ed O’Brien will host a roundtable discussion with local law enforcement, first responders, treatment providers, and community organizations to hear firsthand about the impact the opioid crisis has had on the West Haven community. Murphy will provide an update on his continued efforts to expand access to treatment, like the LifeBOAT Act, secure emergency federal funding, and fight against harmful efforts to gut access to addiction treatment.
Murphy is co-author of the bipartisan Mental Health Reform Act, which passed into law last year. The bill will expand federal resources and improve coordination for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.
WHEN: Thursday, March 16th at 3pm
WHERE: West Haven City Hall, Third Floor Conference Room, 355 Main Street, West Haven, CT
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