1216 Breitwert Ave.

Odenton, MD 21113

November 19, 2017

The Honorable John P. Sarbanes

2444 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Sarbanes,

I am writing to ask you for your support for H.R. 3692, the Addiction Treatment
Access Improvement Act. H.R. 3692 will build on the Comprehensive Addiction and
Recovery Act by authorizing the advance practice nurse (clinical nurse specialists,
certified nurse midwives, and certified registered nurse anesthetists) to perform fully
within their scope of practice in prescribing buprenorphine.
I am a certified medical surgical registered nurse (CMSRN) at the University of
Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center. We work daily with members in our
community who are addicts, recovering addicts, or the families of those who have lost
loved ones in the battle. As you are aware. our State and our nation are battling an Opioid
Epidemic.
Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US, with 52,404
lethal drug overdoses in 2015. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 20,101
overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 12,990 overdose deaths related
to heroin in 2015 (Rudd, 2016). The opioid epidemic has been front line news recently
with President Donald Trump declaring a health emergency this past October. The health
of our nation and community are at risk.
Unfortunately, Anne Arundel County ranks third highest in Maryland in the
number of deaths due to opioid misuse (The Maryland Strategic Prevention Framework
Coalitions of Anne Arundel County, 2015). In March, Governor Larry Hogan declared a
state of emergency in response to Maryland's continuing problems with heroin and opioid
addiction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 33,000
people have died related to drug overdoses in 2015. The death rate has quadrupled since
1999 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017).
Thank you for your actions thus far in supporting the expansion of access to
naloxone. For example, in April you briefed the Members of Congress and staff on ways
to expand access to naloxone. Additionally, you are actively fighting against the Opioid
Epidemic within our state and community. Thank you for your collaborative effort
between federal, state and local government officials, medical professionals, behavioral
health experts to halt the devastation of this epidemic. I will continue to advocate for
patients, community members by providing resources which are available. Thank you
again and I look forward to hearing your response to whether you support H.R. 3692.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Anne M. Waskiewicz, CMSRN

Annewaski55@gmail.com
410693-6049