AANP Applauds President Obama's Recognition of the Vital Role Nurse Practitioners Play in Addressing Our Nation's Opioid Epidemic

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Obama announced $1.1 billion in new funding to address America's prescription opioid abuse and heroin use epidemic.  The proposal includes a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) pilot project for nurse practitioners to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder treatment, where allowed by state law. The proposed budget item includes funding to expand patient access to substance abuse treatment, increase the availability of medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders, and improve access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone.

American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) President Cindy Cooke, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, issued the following statement in response to President Obama's proposal:

"Opioid abuse in America has become a national epidemic.  AANP applauds the White House's efforts to help expand patient access to substance abuse treatment.  As partners in health to millions of Americans, nurse practitioners play a vital role in ensuring patient health and safety and we stand ready to address this health crisis."

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of more than 205,000 NPs, including more than 66,000 individual members and 200 organizations, providing a unified networking platform and advocating for their role as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered and personalized health care. The organization provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NP patients and other health care consumers.  For more information, visit aanp.org.  Search for a nurse practitioner in your area at npfinder.com.

SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners

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