During the last 8 years, the United States has seen a lot of social change through government-lead education and legislation. People who are living with an opioid dependency have not been forgotten. Signed in 2016, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) was passed to help curb the current Opioid Crisis in the US by coordinating a response that encompasses prevention, treatment, recovery, law enforcement, criminal justice reform, and overdose reversal. As the first major legislation pertaining to addiction in 40 years, CARA seeks to advocate for the care of people with opioid addictions everywhere.
With CARA, people with opioid addiction have easier access to the care they need, including overdose treatment and medications. This grant money has allowed for the: development of naloxone co-prescription programs, offset of copayments for naloxone to patients in need, training of healthcare providers in naloxone co-prescribing and use, and connecting of patients with appropriate treatment when they’ve suffered an overdose.
Pharmacists that carry naloxone also benefit from grants provided by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. With this act, pharmacists have access to grant money that can fund the creation of educational and training material pertaining to naloxone, its overdose reversal properties, and administration. The grant money makes it easier for pursuant to receive naloxone from these pharmacists when they have a standing order for its issue. By giving pharmacists access to these grants, they have the ability to provide faster, more thorough service to both opioid users in crisis and those in need of educational guides to its administration and use.
In areas with high rates of heroin and prescription addiction recorded, local governments and nonprofit organizations can petition for grant money to create new facilities and fund medication-assisted treatment. Reducing the number of casualties and increasing the number of affordable treatment options in an area can create a better overall envirodement for people recovering from addiction.
These grants can all increase success rates for those with opioid dependency and give them better chances of survival and recovery. By encouraging awareness and education, providing better and more easily accessible emergency care and encouraging efforts towards preventing potential overdose deaths through proper funding, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act has the potential to help thousands and chip away at the mounting number of casualties related to the opioid epidemic
As a facility that could benefit from the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, Pathway Healthcare will provide more addiction treatment in Jackson, TN and is dedicated to educating patients, family members and the community about CARA and the opioid crisis. At Pathway Healthcare’s substance use treatment clinic in Jackson, TN, patients with drug and alcohol addiction or dependency can get the care they need without fear of being turned away. We work with patients every day to make treatment accessible to all residents in need in and around Jackson. Talk to Pathway Healthcare’s educated staff about the options provided to you through the CARA act and learn more about how to enroll in our treatment programs.
