October 25, 2018 - WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed into law H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, which U.S. Rep. Denham supported and includes over 90 U.S. House provisions to address the opioid crisis.

“It’s time we eliminate the stigma surrounding opioid addiction,” said Rep. Denham. "This bill will provide treatment, keep our community safe and prevent future addictions across the Valley.”

Opioid abuse and deaths in the Central Valley have risen sharply in recent years. The number of deaths per year in San Joaquin County is significantly higher than the rest of the state, and Stanislaus County has more opioid prescriptions on file than there are people living in the county. H.R. 6 is the first comprehensive federal law to address the opioid crisis, and it empowers our healthcare and treatment systems, physicians, law enforcement, and community to fight this crisis head on.

H.R. 6 helps fight the opioid crisis by:

1. improving access to recovery centers;
2. encouraging non-addictive alternatives to treat pain and improving methods to identify at-risk patients;
3. providing law enforcement tools to remove drugs from our community; and
4. cracking down on foreign shipments of illicit drugs, such as fentanyl.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 116 people die every day from an opioid overdose. The policies set forth in H.R. 6 will protect American communities and families from the dangers of opioid addiction. 
Source: Congressman Jeff Denham