Brown’s Office Hosts Law Enforcement, Health Professionals for Opioid Roundtable in Marion

MARION, OH —Today, the Office of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) hosted a roundtable discussion at the Crawford-Marion Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (ADAMH) on efforts to combat the addiction epidemic in Ohio. Brown’s chief of staff and central Ohio regional director were joined by local law enforcement and healthcare professionals. 

“Our law enforcement officers and our doctors and nurses and other medical professionals see the devastation the opioid crisis causes in our communities,” said Brown. “Roundtable discussions like these help facilitate comprehensive solutions on the local, state, and federal levels. We know that we cannot effectively address issues like the opioid epidemic without working together.” 

“I’ve known Senator Brown for many years, and I know he is very engaged in the opioid issue. Unfortunately, Ohio is at the top of the list when it comes to deaths due to opioid overdoses. I look forward to working with Sen. Brown to come up with formidable solutions,” said Marion County Sheriff Tim Bailey.  

Earlier this month, Brown’s bipartisan bill to keep illegal fentanyl out of Ohio, the INTERDICT Act, was signed into law by President Trump. The law will provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with additional hi-tech screening equipment and lab resources to detect fentanyl before it enters the U.S.

Brown’s bill would authorize $15 million for new screening devices, laboratory equipment, facilities, and personnel for 24x7 lab support. The money will be used to:

• Provide more portable chemical screening devices at ports of entry and mail and express consignment facilities and additional fixed chemical screening devices available in CBP laboratories.
• Provide CBP with additional resources, personnel, and facilities — including scientists available during all operational hours — to interpret screening test results from the field. 

This week, the Trump Administration announced an extension of the opioid public health emergency following calls from Brown and Senate colleagues for renewal. Since little has been done following the initial declaration, Brown called on the Trump Administration to follow through on the extension with concrete action and funding.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also enacted a measure this week to expand medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction based on Brown’s The Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act (TREAT Act). The bipartisan TREAT Act allows nurse practitioners and physician assistants who meet certain qualifications to prescribe buprenorphine, medication used in the treatment of opioid addiction. DEA announced the enactment of TREAT Act provisions this week after the TREAT Act was signed into law as part of a larger legislative package to address the opioid epidemic in 2016. 

###