Washington D.C. – House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) introduced legislation Tuesday to improve the evaluation of opioid related grant programs and increase data transparency:
“The House is taking action to address and resolve America’s opioid epidemic. Our goal is simple: we want to build on current legislative efforts to prevent addiction and treat those suffering. To focus on achieving these outcomes I introduced the Opioid Program Evaluation (OPEN) Act.
“Helping solve this epidemic requires a holistic approach that starts with identifying goals and the metrics used to determine success. The OPEN Act will require the Attorney General and the Health and Human Services Secretary to collect and publicly share information about the effectiveness of opioid-related programs. By increasing access to this data, healthcare officials, researchers, and engaged citizens will have an opportunity to strengthen treatment and prevention programs. There is no quick cure to this problem, but we can and must do more to stop the tide of this epidemic so the American people can live freer and happier lives. To do so, our solutions need to be anchored by data and proven results.”