Senator McConnell Unveils Bill to Address Devastating Impact of Opioid Epidemic on Kentucky's Workforce

Statement

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) continues to build on his work to help combat the opioid and substance abuse epidemic in Kentucky and throughout the nation. Today, he announced the introduction of his bill, the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery through Effective Employment and Reentry (CAREER) Act, which helps address the devastating impact substance abuse is having on America's workforce.

Senator McConnell has heard from many Kentucky employers who cite substance abuse as a major hurdle to maintain a full workforce. One study attributed roughly 25 percent of the decline in workforce participation between 1999 and 2015 to aspects of the opioid crisis. That amounts to about one million missing workers. The Trump administration reports the epidemic cost our economy half a trillion dollars in 2015 alone.

The CAREER Act would bring targeted relief to the states most devastated by substance abuse. The state-based pilot program established under this legislation would encourage local businesses and treatment groups to form partnerships to help individuals in recovery find and maintain employment. The legislation encourages expanding transitional housing options for recovering addicts until they secure permanent arrangements. Further, it gives states more flexibility to spend federal career services and training funds to support individuals transitioning from treatment to the workforce.

"Our nation's opioid and substance abuse epidemic continues to plague communities and families in my home state of Kentucky and across the nation," said Senator McConnell. "I'm proud to announce legislation to help address this crisis's devastating effects on the American worker -- and the American workforce. Stable employment is not just a path to financial security for workers and families. Earning a paycheck from a job is also linked to personal happiness and even physical health. We see firsthand in Kentucky the need for the structure and support that come with a job to help keep people who have battled addiction in their past from falling back into the cycle of drug abuse. But unfortunately, in the very communities where employment could do so much good, the opioid crisis itself is making it harder to attain."

"We are grateful for Senator McConnell's continued work for Kentuckians and Americans in taking the necessary steps to combat the opioid epidemic. At Centerstone, we know that stable housing and employment are vitally tied to an individual's recovery. The bill being introduced today, the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery through Effective Employment and Reentry (CAREER) Act, acknowledges the critical role of housing and employment in the recovery process, and would enhance the ability of front line providers to effectively deploy resources to tackle this epidemic within our communities," said Anthony Zipple, CEO, Centerstone Kentucky.

Last week, Senator McConnell introduced the Protecting Moms and Infants Act to confront the heartbreaking cases of prenatal and infant opioid addiction. The legislation builds on Senator McConnell's 2015 bill, the Protecting Our Infants Act (POIA), which was the first federal law to address prenatal opioid exposure. Along with previous bipartisan legislation like the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act and the 21st Century Cures Act, Congress continues to bolster prevention, treatment, and enforcement efforts. In addition, in the recent government funding bill, Senator McConnell helped secure a record level of resources dedicated to saving lives from heroin and prescription drug abuse.

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