The COVID-19 pandemic is having a uniquely negative impact on overdose rates, the strain on the healthcare system, and the risk of relapse. Even though addiction is a treatable illness, we needlessly lose thousands of lives due to a nationwide shortage of trustworthy, affordable, evidence-based care.

As the overdose crisis continues to ravage communities across the country, and all Americans encounter additional stressors like unemployment due to COVID-19, our federal government has a critical opportunity to help. 

The Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act is designed to ensure that all DEA-controlled medication prescribers have a baseline knowledge of how to prevent addiction and how to identify, treat, and manage patients who have substance use disorders. You might think that this is already the case, but it’s not. Addiction treatment is currently not a focus in many medical schools, meaning most doctors do not know how to identify or treat substance use disorder, despite the public health emergency that it is. That’s why we need this legislation.

Contact your Members of Congress now and urge them to pass the MATE Act!