Statement from First Lady Chirlane McCray on the Senate's Passage Of H.R. 2646, Bipartisan Mental Health Reform Bill

July 13, 2016

“Today’s Senate vote on the House and Senate Conference Report to the Senate Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 provides relief to millions of individuals and their families. The bill, which adds nurse practitioners and physician assistants to the list of qualifying practitioners who can prescribe buprenorphine, is one of the best tools we have for treating opioid addiction, and helps those struggling with addiction rest assured that they will be in good hands when seeking medical attention. These professionals will greatly expand the workforce able to treat addiction.

“Expanding treatment options is one of the priorities of ThriveNYC, which I personally went down to DC to advocate on behalf of. We are already training 1,000 new practitioners to provide effective buprenorphine treatment over the next three years.

“This legislation could not have come a moment too soon. The sad truth is that drug overdoses now kill more people annually than car crashes. Today’s vote brings us one step closer to preventing these senseless deaths.  I urge President Obama to sign the bill into law as soon as possible.”