PORTLAND — The U.S. Senate has signed off on provisions Sen. Susan Collins authored into a federal opioid addiction act that are designed to protect pregnant mothers and children.
The Senate overwhelmingly approved the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act on Wednesday. Collins, a Maine Republican, co-sponsored the legislation.
One of Collins’ provisions is called the Safe Treatments and Opportunities to Prevent Pain Act and it is designed to encourage the National Institutes of Health to increase research into alternatives to opioid therapy for pain management.
It also includes Collins’ Infant Plan of Safe Care Act. That provision will require states to ensure that a safe care plan is developed for drug-dependent infants prior to their discharge from the hospital.
The bill passed the House last week.
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