State Sen. Kelly Co-Sponsors Recently Passed Bill to Help People With Substance Abuse

Monroe, CT — State Senator Kevin Kelly applauds the governor’s signing of a bill to help individuals struggling with substance abuse.

"Special Act No. 16-4 directs the Connecticut insurance commissioner to study the impediments that exist for individuals that are addicted to drugs to receive care," he said in a statement.

Sen. Kelly proposed the bill in the Insurance Committee, where he serves as Ranking Member, and he co-sponsored the legislation presented by the committee.

“I proposed this bill because our state needs to better understand the challenges people face when they try to seek help for substance abuse,” said Sen. Kelly, who represents the towns of Stratford, Shelton, Monroe and Seymour.

“Drug use is a public health crisis and the only way to fight it is to take on a holistic approach and address both the causes and the effects. One of the biggest challenges people face when they get involved in drug use is that they don’t know what kind of support, including medical care, is available to them to help fight their addiction. This new law commissioning a study will help state lawmakers better understand this issue, so that we can remove obstacles that may prevent someone from getting help.”

The study will aim to research whether or not insurance policies are helping people with substance abuse issues get the treatment they need. Upon the competition of the study, the legislature will have more information essential to addressing the addiction issues facing people in our state.

For more information on Special Act No. 16-4 AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF IMPEDIMENTS TO INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENTS click here: https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Special+Act&which_year=2016&bill_num=4.