[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 142 (Wednesday, September 30, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1393]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH

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                        HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 30, 2015

  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of September as 
National Recovery Month.
   Established 26 years ago, National Recovery Month strives to educate 
Americans about opportunities for addiction treatment and mental health 
services, and the urgent need to take advantage of them. This year, 
National Recovery Month is highlighting the value of peer-to-peer 
support in educating, mentoring, and helping others in their recovery.
   Addressing the prescription drug abuse epidemic is a uniquely 
American problem. It is not limited by geography or demographics. 
Prescription drug abuse has spread across the country like wildfire--
with the U.S. accounting for less than five percent of the world's 
population yet consuming over 80 percent of the world's opioids and 99 
percent of its hydrocodone. Tragically, 46 people die each day from an 
overdose of prescription drugs, and, each year, a staggering 185,000 
people over the age of twelve in Massachusetts are at risk of an 
overdose. This number rises to a chilling 424,000 when taking into 
account those suffering from alcohol abuse. These statistics neither 
fully convey the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse nor the toll of this 
epidemic--both on families nationwide and on the limited resources 
available to law enforcement and social service agencies.
   The first step toward stemming the rising rates of addiction is 
investing directly in our communities. This includes promoting and 
encouraging prevention, treatment and recovery measures in every state, 
as well as ensuring robust funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). I am proud of the programs in 
my district that serve as a positive and successful example for others 
to follow--including, but not limited to, High Point Treatment Center, 
South Shore Mental Health, Gosnold Treatment Center, and Stanley Street 
Treatment and Resources (SSTAR) Addiction Treatment. They have proven 
the extent to which we can fight substance abuse through the 
integration of mental health services and treatment, thereby providing 
opportunity for individuals in recovery.
   Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in highlighting this 
important issue. There is no single solution to fighting this epidemic, 
but together we can make a difference.

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