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Click here to watch Congressman Turner speak on the House floor in support of this amendment.
Congressman Mike Turner released the following statement upon House passage of an amendment he cosponsored to increase access to treatment for pregnant women struggling with substance abuse:
“I am proud to continue to fight for a better life for both babies and mothers who have been exposed to heroin and opioids. This is a significant step forward in our effort to develop and implement a strategy that provides targeted intervention and takes significant steps to identify and treat this at-risk population. Now is the time for decisive, thoughtful action that seeks to provide the best possible start in life for our community’s children, and passage of this amendment is step towards achieving that goal.”
This amendment is another initiative undertaken by Congressman Turner to protect pregnant women and their babies from the dangerous effects of exposure to heroin and opioids. Specifically, the amendment would help provide care for expectant mothers with substance abuse disorders and help put them on the path to recovery by expanding the eligible uses of existing grant funding available through the Department of Justice. With this increased access to treatment, these mothers and their unborn children stand to benefit.
Congressman Turner has been fighting this issue in Southwest Ohio since 2013:
- December 18, 2013: Toured Soin Medical Center, where issue of Heroin-Exposed Newborns was raised.
- March 10, 2014: Met with area hospitals to discuss the growing issue of Heroin-Exposed Newborns.
- May 15, 2014: Visited Dayton Children’s Hospital NICU to discuss infant heroin exposure and the withdrawal and recovery process.
- June 30, 2014: Held a Community Forum on the Effects of the Heroin Epidemic on Newborns.
- August 27, 2014: Visited the Women’s Recovery Center.
- May 2015: Held Community Summit on Heroin-Exposed Infants.
- August 21, 2015: Toured Greene County Jail and Green Leaf Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program; met with criminal justice system administrators and substance abuse and mental health leadership.
- November 18, 2015: Met with ONDCP Director Michael Botticelli and introduced the TREAT Act with Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) and Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (MA-3).
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