FLINT— This week, Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) outlined a comprehensive strategy to combat the opioid epidemic, while also increasing border security and supporting local law enforcement. The Congresswoman laid out her vision in a letter to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) as the organization develops its 2026 National Drug Control Strategy.
Over the past decade, Michigan has experienced a rise in drug overdose deaths, fueled by opioids like fentanyl, heroin and prescription pain medications. In Genesee, Saginaw, Bay, and Midland Counties over 300 people tragically die from drug overdoses each year.
“Too many Michiganders have lost a child, sibling, or friend to the opioid crisis. We need to get serious in Washington about taking on this epidemic that’s killing our loved ones,” said Congresswoman McDonald Rivet. “I am urging our country to take an all-of-the-above approach that stops drugs from illegally entering our country in the first place, supports local law enforcement as they hold traffickers accountable and addresses the root causes of addiction. I look forward to working with community leaders to keep our kids safe and prevent future tragedies.”
Congresswoman McDonald Rivet’s letter outlines the following objectives:
- Combat the flow of drugs across the Southern Border by investing in advanced technology and adding more narcotics-trained personnel at the border.
- Support understaffed local law enforcement agencies by creating regional training academies focused on narcotics investigations, overdose response, and emerging drug threats, while also continuing funding for body armor, overdose response kits and field drug testing devices.
- Enhance postal interception efforts by conducting training on new trends in mail-based drug trafficking, improving coordination with Postal Inspectors and helping local law enforcement develop specialized screening teams.
- Expand access to overdose prevention tools by making naloxone and fentanyl test strips widely available, especially in high-risk and rural areas, and training emergency responders to recognize and respond to overdoses.
- Promote mental health treatment by encouraging Drug-Free Communities Coalitions to increase collaboration with behavioral health care professionals, as mental health and substance use are closely linked, especially among young people.
- Expand tracking of overdose spikes in real-time by promoting utilization of the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program, a powerful tool that helps public health, community and law enforcement agencies track overdose spikes as they happen.
A copy of the letter can be found here.
###
