WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today joined President Donald J. Trump at the White House as he signed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act into law.

“Having put so much work into shaping this legislation, I was honored to be at the White House today as President Trump signed it into law,” Senator Capito said. “With the president’s signature, we are able to finally deliver on our promise for a robust, comprehensive response to the opioid epidemic that is plaguing West Virginia and so many other state across the country. For West Virginia, this law will more than double the state’s opioid funding because of a provision I secured to prioritize states like ours. This bill also addresses more than just addiction; it also focuses on families, prevention, education, and life after recovery. I’m so proud of the work that went into this bipartisan legislation, and I’m eager to see how it changes lives for the better.” 

As a leader in the fight against opioids, Senator Capito introduced or led as a co-sponsor the following provisions in the SUPPORT Act, now law: 

  • A change to the 21st Century Cures Act State Targeted Response Grants formula that focuses federal funds on states like West Virginia that have been hit hardest by the opioid crisis.
  • The Opioid Addiction Recovery Fraud Prevention Act, which will hold fraudulent substance abuse treatment programs and recovery centers accountable by empowering the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to bring enforcement actions to combat such scams.
  • Language establishing Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers (CORCs), a new grant program to provide the full continuum of treatment for patients in areas hardest hit by the opioid crisis.
  • Resources for communities to start or expand programs for coordination of care and treatment after an overdose, such as the successful Quick Response Teams (QRTs) that have had such success in Huntington, West Virginia, and are now expanding throughout the state.
  • The Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, which will help prevent the shipment of synthetic opioids like fentanyl into the United States through the international mail system by imposing tough new requirements on the U.S. Postal Service and Customs and Border Protection.
  • New resources to identify, prevent, and mitigate the effects of trauma related to the opioid epidemic among infants, children, and their families. Includes the creation of a task force to identify and disseminate trauma-informed best practices within federal grant programs; a grant program to link educational agencies with mental health systems to increase student access to evidence-based trauma support services; additional funding for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network; and the expansion of programs to increase the mental health workforce for this population.
  • The Caring Recovery for Infants and Babies (CRIB) Act, which clarifies states’ ability under Medicaid to provide care for infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome in residential pediatric recovery centers like Lily’s Place in Huntington, West Virginia. It also reauthorizes the Residential l Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women grant program Senator Capito worked to include in CARA and includes grants to help states implement plans of safe care for substance-exposed infants included in CARA.
  • The Using Data to Prevent Opioid Diversion Act, which will provide drug manufacturers and distributors with data to identify pharmacies that are suspiciously ordering prescription opioids and provide law enforcement the authority to hold them accountable if they fail to use this data to identify, report, and stop suspicious orders of prescription opioids.

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