Progressive Maryland joined People’s Action and nearly 200 organizations to issue a letter urging Congress to pass the bipartisan Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act by the end of the year. If passed, the MAT Act would prevent overdoses, increase access to treatment, and reduce stigma by removing federal rules that prevent healthcare providers from prescribing a lifesaving medication for opioid use disorder.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the MAT Act in June of this year as part of the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022. The package passed with near-unanimous bipartisan support (402-20). We are pushing for it to be included in the end of year omnibus spending bill. 

Since 1997, the United States has lost more than one million people to drug overdoses. More than 108,000 of those deaths occurred in 2021 alone. If nothing changes, we are projected to lose one million more people to drug overdose by 2030. Each person lost to the overdose crisis leaves behind loved ones - children without a parent, lost siblings, friends, and community members. 

Overdose deaths are preventable through evidence-based treatment, including medications for opioid use disorder that prevent withdrawal symptoms and stem cravings. By passing the MAT Act, Congress can prevent future deaths and help people with substance use disorder secure recovery.

You may view the full letter here.