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Tonko Announces $170 Million for NY Addiction & Mental Health Services

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Paul D. Tonko announced today that $170,566,276 in funding from the American Rescue Plan—COVID legislation backed by Tonko— has been awarded to New York State to support mental health and addiction services. Funding will be administered by the New York State Department of Health and the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) and is…

Tonko Pushes to Expand Addiction Treatment at Congressional Hearing

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Paul D. Tonko addressed the top Biden Administration health official today during a Health Subcommittee hearing to push for the advance of two major, bipartisan addiction treatment bills he authored. Tonko called for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to support the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act and the…

Tonko, Katko, Klobuchar & Kaine Introduce Bill to Improve COVID-19 Response for Mental Health

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON—Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and John Katko (R-NY) and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Timothy Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the  COVID-19 Mental Health Research Act, legislation that would fund research to study the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has on the mental health of Americans, with an emphasis on its impact on children and health care providers. This…

Tonko, Cárdenas Reintroduce Virtual Community Support Act

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON, DC—Representatives Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) and Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) introduced the Virtual Community Support Act to strengthen community-based and peer support services virtually both during and after the pandemic. Specifically, it would create a new program at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide training and development to increase…

Tonko, Trone Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Better Coordinate Federal Response to Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Crises

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Rep. Paul Tonko

WASHINGTON—As millions of American struggle with mental health and substance use disorder challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and David Trone (D-MD) along with Representatives Tom Emmer (R-MN), Doris Matsui (D-CA), and Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) announced today that they introduced the Behavioral Health Coordination and Communication Act of 2021,…

In Bipartisan Letter, Lawmakers Seek Emergency Funding for Behavioral Health Organizations in Next Coronavirus Stimulus Package

| Posted in Press Releases

Washington, DC—United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Congressman Joe Kennedy III (D-MA-04), along with Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI); and Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA-06), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), John Katko (R-NY-24) and 68 of their Senate and House colleagues, sent a letter to Congressional leadership requesting emergency…

Tonko Introduces Bill Examining Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19 on Health Care Workers

| Posted in Press Releases

AMSTERDAM, NY—Congressman Paul D. Tonko introduced legislation today in the House of Representatives that would fund research to study the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on the mental health of Americans, and more specifically, health care providers. “Every one of us has felt the burden of this crisis. Our frontline workers have been coping with many weeks of exposure to the…

Tonko, Turner Reintroduce Bipartisan Addiction Treatment Bill

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WASHINGTON – Representatives Paul Tonko (NY-20) and Michael Turner (OH-10) have formally introduced bipartisan legislation empowering states to expand access to addiction treatment through Medicaid for individuals up to 30 days before their release from jail or prison. The bill, H.R. 1329: the Medicaid Reentry Act, responds to alarming evidence that individuals reentering society after…

Bipartisan Heroin Task Force Endorses Tonko Bill to Fight Addiction Epidemic

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“Last year more than 64,000 Americans died of a drug overdose, a number that continues to rise without a serious response from President Trump or his administration. In the absence of meaningful leadership from the White House, Congress can and must do more to stop this growing threat. I am grateful to the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force for their endorsement of my bill to expand access to treatment and services for countless Americans who are suffering from addiction and struggling to get the care they need to survive.”

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