Subject: Re: In review: substance abuse op-ed
From: "Ann O'Leary" <[email-masked]>
To: Kristina Costa <[email-masked]>
Cc: Jesse Ferguson <[email-masked]>, Maya Harris <[email-masked]>, Karen Finney <[email-masked]>, Joel Benenson <[email-masked]>, Marlon Marshall <[email-masked]>, Amanda Renteria <[email-masked]>, Nick Merrill <[email-masked]>, Mandy Grunwald <[email-masked]>, Tony Carrk <[email-masked]>, Ian Sams <[email-masked]>, Dan Schwerin <[email-masked]>, Sara Solow <[email-masked]>, Speech Drafts <[email-masked]>, Speech Writers <
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2015 15:47:57 -0700
List-Id: <speechdrafts.hillaryclinton.com>

This is good.  I just want to simplify the stat about who gets substance
abuse treatment to the only 1 in 10 get the treatment they need stat.  See
attached.

Otherwise, policy additions look good.  Thanks, Kristina!

On Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 3:32 PM, Kristina Costa <[email-masked]>
wrote:

> Reviving this thread now that we're tracking a substance abuse rollout for
> the first half of next week. Attaching the latest version of the oped,
> which reflects new policy and references the recent White House
> announcement on targeted law enforcement and public health grants. This is
> identical to the oped this group cleared on 2 weeks ago, except for the
> sentences that I've flagged with comments in the attached, and for some
> small edits to keep the word count down.
>
> As this has already been much-discussed and edited, please respond by *11am
> Friday* with any further comments or edits so we can get this to HRC for
> her review.
>
> Thanks everybody!
>
> Kristina
>
> On Mon, Aug 17, 2015 at 9:56 AM, Jesse Ferguson <
> [email-masked]> wrote:
>
>> Final version attached which includes everyones edits and words deleted
>> (down to 810) so we can move forward. Thanks everyone for their hard work
>> (especially author Kristina).
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Jesse Ferguson [mailto:[email-masked]]
>> *Sent:* Monday, August 17, 2015 9:27 AM
>> *To:* Maya Harris <[email-masked]>; Karen Finney <
>> [email-masked]>
>> *Cc:* 'Joel Benenson' <[email-masked]>; Marlon Marshall <
>> [email-masked]>; Ann O'Leary <[email-masked]>;
>> Amanda Renteria <[email-masked]>; Kristina Costa <
>> [email-masked]>; Nick Merrill <[email-masked]>;
>> 'Mandy Grunwald' <[email-masked]>; Tony Carrk <[email-masked]>;
>> Speech Drafts <[email-masked]>; Ian Sams <
>> [email-masked]>; Dan Schwerin <[email-masked]>
>> *Subject:* RE: In review: substance abuse op-ed
>>
>>
>>
>> We think we have everyone’s edits. We are just doing some copy editing
>> b/c with everyone’s additions, the op-ed is now almost 900 words and thus
>> unlikely to be published. We will get this to her this morning. Thanks.
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Maya Harris [mailto:[email-masked]
>> <[email-masked]>]
>> *Sent:* Monday, August 17, 2015 12:06 AM
>> *To:* Karen Finney <[email-masked]>
>> *Cc:* Joel Benenson <[email-masked]>; Marlon Marshall <
>> [email-masked]>; Ann O'Leary <[email-masked]>;
>> Amanda Renteria <[email-masked]>; Kristina Costa <
>> [email-masked]>; Nick Merrill <[email-masked]>;
>> Jesse Ferguson <[email-masked]>; Mandy Grunwald <
>> [email-masked]>; Tony Carrk <[email-masked]>; Speech Drafts <
>> [email-masked]>; Ian Sams <[email-masked]>;
>> Dan Schwerin <[email-masked]>
>>
>> *Subject:* Re: In review: substance abuse op-ed
>>
>>
>>
>> just offering alternative since concern raised. i'm good either way.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Aug 16, 2015 at 11:46 PM, Karen Finney <
>> [email-masked]> wrote:
>>
>> But then it goes back to sounding like she discovered this epidemic in
>> the white community when it's been going on in AA for a long time.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>
>> On Aug 16, 2015, at 11:34 PM, Joel Benenson <[email-masked]> wrote:
>>
>> Seems good if we have enough space.
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Maya Harris [mailto:[email-masked]
>> <[email-masked]>]
>> *Sent:* Sunday, August 16, 2015 11:00 PM
>> *To:* Karen Finney
>> *Cc:* Marlon Marshall; Ann O'Leary; Amanda Renteria; Kristina Costa;
>> Nick Merrill; Jesse Ferguson; Mandy Grunwald; Joel Benenson; Tony Carrk;
>> Speech Drafts; Ian Sams; Dan Schwerin
>> *Subject:* Re: In review: substance abuse op-ed
>>
>>
>>
>> If the goal is to name SC, but there's concern about calling out black
>> men specifically, we could revise the sentence to say something like:
>>
>>
>>
>> "In South Carolina, a lawyer spoke movingly about too many young men who
>> have ended up imprisoned for non-violent drug offenses rather than getting
>> the treatment they needed."
>>
>>
>>
>> Here's what the lawyer said in the transcript:
>>
>>
>>
>> "*QUESTION:*  My name is Carlyle Steele and I practice criminal law here
>> in Greenville, and I’ve been shocked over the last 40 years at the mass
>> incarceration of young men, particularly young African American men.
>> Locking everybody up for minor offenses and nonviolent offenses isn’t
>> working out. "
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Aug 16, 2015 at 10:20 PM, Karen Finney <
>> [email-masked]> wrote:
>>
>> Agree re AA; I think the mention is ok because she's talking about what
>> people have talked to her about.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>
>> On Aug 16, 2015, at 9:44 PM, Marlon Marshall <
>> [email-masked]> wrote:
>>
>> Defer to Maya and Karen if we keep, but can we say African American
>> instead of Black?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Aug 16, 2015, at 9:04 PM, Ann O'Leary <[email-masked]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Intended to be sure she was listening to votes in all 4 first states not
>> just IA & NH with their skewed demographics.  Think we need to keep it, but
>> Maya/Karen- you good? Or want to suggest alternative?
>>
>>
>>
>> Ann O’Leary
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> (510) 717-5518 (cell)
>>
>>
>> On Aug 16, 2015, at 6:50 PM, Amanda Renteria <
>> [email-masked]> wrote:
>>
>> Perhaps I'm overly sensitive but should we change calling out black men
>> at the beginning?  I know we don't want to ignore that this is a big deal
>> in the AfAm community, but it feels to me like she is singling them out
>> which could be taken very badly. Defer to group but it stood out when I
>> read it.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>
>> On Aug 16, 2015, at 8:37 PM, Karen Finney <[email-masked]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Sounds good.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>
>> On Aug 16, 2015, at 8:33 PM, Ann O'Leary <[email-masked]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all -
>>
>>
>>
>> I am hearing separately that even with this change that the screenings
>> could be misconstrued and likely more trouble than they are worth. Let's
>> kill it and I'll revisit it as a good policy idea on the other side of this
>> election but not one for campaign fodder.
>>
>>
>>
>> Here is my suggestion for four full points:
>>
>>
>>
>> That’s why I’m releasing a comprehensive strategy [LINK] to confront the
>> drug addiction crisis head-on. My plan sets four goals: first, ensuring
>> every American family has access to affordable and effective treatments; second, ensuring
>> that our mental health parity laws are fully enforced so that insurance
>> practices are not a barrier to substance abuse treatment; third,
>> ensuring all first responders have access to naloxone, which stops
>> overdoses from becoming fatal; and fourth, requiring that all health-care
>> providers receive training in recognizing substance use disorders and
>> consult a prescription drug monitoring program before providing opiates.
>>
>>
>>
>> Does this work for everyone?
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Ann
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Aug 16, 2015 at 4:58 PM, Ann O'Leary <[email-masked]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all -
>>
>>
>>
>> Sorry I was out of pocket for a few hours.  On a flight now to raise $$
>> for all of us in Oklahoma - the things we do!!
>>
>>
>>
>> Anyhow, here is the deal:
>>
>>
>>
>> (1) The American Academy of Pediatrics came out with a strong policy
>> statement in 2011
>> <https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/AAP-Recommends-Substance-Abuse-Screening-as-Part-of-Routine-Adolescent-Care.aspx>
>> that every child/teenager should be screened for substance abuse disorders
>> when they visit the doctor for their annual child check up or for an accute
>> care visit in which it might be suspected.  HRC has a long history of
>> working with AAP and supporting their efforts to do more screenings.  When
>> she was First Lady, she worked on the Newborn Hearing Screening to make
>> sure all babies get hearing screenings, and in the last several years she
>> has pushed for and supported the AAP's effort to screen young kids for
>> symptoms of "toxic stress."  This is not "mandatory," but it is part of
>> prevention and wellness and it is about supporting the AAP in making this
>> happen by raising awareness, making sure pediatricians get reimbursed for
>> their time in doing these screenings, etc.  I have tried to clarify with
>> edits to the speech, pasted below and attached.
>>
>>
>>
>> (2) On Mandy's question about mental health parity, I have added a line.
>>
>>
>>
>> (3) On Karen's question of whether we reached out to urban leaders, we
>> talked to a number of policy experts who serve urban communities. Maya is
>> going to work with political to be sure we do political outreach to leaders
>> in next 48 hours.
>>
>>
>>
>> (4) On Karen's suggestion, that she alludes to problems in her own family
>> - I have modified accordingly.
>>
>>
>>
>> (5) On Nick's question about specialized care, we are good with it as
>> Kristina noted - but let me know if you have further concerns.
>>
>>
>>
>> I am also attaching our final fact sheet.  If all are good, we should get
>> her this draft op-ed together with the fact sheet.  Let me know if you have
>> more questions or concerns.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Ann
>>
>>
>>
>> *DRAFT substance abuse op-ed*
>>
>>
>>
>> WC: 822 words
>>
>>
>>
>> I was on my first trip to New Hampshire this spring, in a Keene bakery,
>> when a retired doctor spoke up. I had just announced I was running for
>> president, and I had traveled to Iowa and New Hampshire to hear directly
>> from voters about their concerns, their hopes, and their vision for the
>> future. He said his biggest worry was the rising tide of heroin addiction
>> in the state, the result of a wave of prescription drug abuse. He said
>> hospitals were seeing more babies born addicted, that police officers were
>> responding to more overdoses, that families were being torn apart.
>>
>>
>>
>> To be candid, I didn’t expect what came next. In several states, this
>> issue crept up again and again – from so many people, from all walks of
>> life, in small towns and big cities.
>>
>>
>>
>> In Iowa, from Davenport to Council Bluffs, people spoke to me about meth
>> and prescription drugs, and scores of lives upended. In South Carolina, a
>> lawyer spoke movingly about the holes in the community left by generations
>> of black men who ended up imprisoned for non-violent drug offenses rather
>> than getting the treatment they needed.
>>
>>
>>
>> These stories shine light on some harrowing statistics. Nearly 23 million
>> Americans suffer from addiction, but in 2014, only 2.5 million were able to
>> receive treatment at a specialized facility. Fifty-two million Americans
>> over the age of 12 have abused prescription drugs, including one in four
>> teenagers. In 2014, more Americans died from overdoses than car crashes.
>>
>>
>>
>> Enough is enough. It’s time we recognize as a nation that we have a quiet
>> epidemic on our hands. Plain and simple, drug addiction is a disease, not a
>> moral failing—and we must treat it as such.
>>
>>
>>
>> It’s time we recognize as a nation that there are gaps in our health care
>> system that allow too many sufferers to go without care—and invest
>> substantially more in prevention and treatment.
>>
>>
>>
>> It’s time we recognize as a nation that our state and federal prisons,
>> where 65 percent of inmates meet the medical criteria for substance use
>> disorders, are no substitute for drug treatment—and reform our criminal
>> justice system.
>>
>>
>>
>> That’s why I’m releasing a comprehensive strategy [LINK] to confront the
>> drug addiction crisis head-on. My plan sets four goals: first, ensuring
>> every American family has access to affordable and effective treatments; second,
>> ensuring that we work with pediatricians to be sure that every child and
>> teenager is educated about and screened for substance use disorders as part
>> of their annual doctor’s visit, just as we do for hearing, eyesight,
>> developmental delays and so much more; third, ensuring all first
>> responders have access to naloxone, which stops overdoses from becoming
>> fatal; and fourth, requiring that all health-care providers receive
>> training in recognizing substance use disorders and consult a prescription
>> drug monitoring program before providing opiates.
>>
>>
>>
>> Achieving these goals won’t be easy. It’s going to take real commitment
>> from all corners—law enforcement, doctors, insurance companies, schools,
>> and governments. That’s why my plan starts by increasing funding for the
>> Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant by 25 percent, so
>> states and localities have more resources to work with, and changing rules
>> that arbitrarily limit how many patients can be treated with medication
>> assisted treatment, a proven intervention for opiate addiction. I will also
>> direct the federal government to re-evaluate Medicare and Medicaid payment
>> practices, to remove obstacles to reimbursement for patients seeking help
>> and promote greater coordination of care. And I will make sure that our
>> mental health parity laws are fully enforced so that insurance practices
>> are not a barrier to substance abuse treatment.
>>
>>
>>
>> But we can't stop there. As President, I will do everything I can to
>> partner with states and communities across America to meet the four
>> goals—treatment, prevention, overdose intervention, and improved prescriber
>> practices. We’ll ask states to design ambitious plans for tackling these
>> four goals using the programs that make most sense for their citizens’
>> needs and challenges. In return for strong plans to address the substance
>> abuse crisis, the federal government will draw on a new $5 billion fund to
>> help states meet their goals.
>>
>>
>>
>> Every town I’ve visited so far in this campaign has stories of families
>> upended by drug addiction. But across the country, I’ve also heard about
>> second chances. The young mother who overcame addictions to alcohol and
>> heroin so her son would never see her with a drink or a drug in her hand.
>> The man who served 11 years in prison who is now serving others through a
>> prison ministry.
>>
>>
>>
>> They all say the same thing: no matter how much time has passed, no
>> matter how different their lives are today, they’re all still in recovery.
>> It’s a process—one that began when a family member, a friend, a doctor, a
>> police officer extended a hand to help. As one New Hampshire woman said,
>> “We're not bad people trying to get good, we're sick people who deserve to
>> get well.”
>>
>>
>>
>> There are 23 million Americans suffering from addiction. There are
>> untold millions more. No one is untouched – we all have family and friends
>> who are affected. We can’t afford to stay on the sidelines any
>> longer—because when families are strong, America is strong. Through
>> improved treatment, prevention, and training, we can end this quiet
>> epidemic once and for all.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Aug 16, 2015 at 3:57 PM, Kristina Costa <
>> [email-masked]> wrote:
>>
>> On the screening point, will let policy get into details, but it's the
>> major pillar of the 'prevention' goal. Would folks be more comfortable if
>> it said something like [CAPS=ADDITION]  "ensuring every child and teenager
>> is annually screened for substance use DISORDERS, JUST AS THEY ARE ALREADY
>> SCREENED FOR OTHER ILLNESSES"?
>>
>>
>>
>> schools and doctors regularly screen for all sorts of diseases, and
>> substance abuse screening /= random drug testing.
>>
>>
>>
>> On the "specialized facilities," the stat comes from the NIH's National
>> Institute on Drug Abuse and includes all facilities licensed or certified
>> by state substance abuse agencies to provide treatment. So think it's easy
>> to answer Politifact when they try to get cute.
>>
>>
>>
>> + Ann, per Maya's add
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Aug 16, 2015 at 6:45 PM, Nick Merrill <
>> [email-masked]> wrote:
>>
>> I'm piling on at this point, but without knowing the background or the
>> particulars, the mandatory testing piece is troubling to me.  Not to
>> mention I probably wouldn't have passed at times in my younger
>> years...I bet I'm not the only one.*
>>
>> And on the statistic about 2.5 million people receiving treatment at a
>> "specialized facility," can someone explain what that means?  Just
>> want to make sure we're not trying to be too cute, that there aren't
>> perfectly viable treatment alternatives that lie outside of the term.
>> Our friends from PolitiFact as always in the back of my mind.
>>
>>
>> *(Joel?)
>>
>> On Aug 16, 2015, at 6:13 PM, Jesse Ferguson
>>
>> <[email-masked]> wrote:
>>
>> Flagging - goal had been to get this to HRC on Saturday night but it has
>> been held till tonight as the other elements of the rollout (video, etc.)
>> are debated.
>>
>> AKA - ideally would like to send it in tonight for her review so we can
>> have final on Monday for Wednesday AM placement.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Mandy Grunwald [mailto:[email-masked]]
>> Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2015 5:47 PM
>> To: Karen Finney <[email-masked]>
>> Cc: Joel Benenson <[email-masked]>; Kristina Costa
>> <[email-masked]>; Tony Carrk <[email-masked]>;
>> Speech Drafts <[email-masked]>; Ian Sams
>> <[email-masked]>; Dan Schwerin <[email-masked]>;
>> Jesse Ferguson <[email-masked]>
>> Subject: Re: In review: substance abuse op-ed
>>
>>
>> And one more thing.  Should we mention the growing problem of synthetics?
>>
>> Mandy Grunwald
>> Grunwald Communications
>> 202 973-9400
>>
>>
>> >> On Aug 16, 2015, at 5:18 PM, Karen Finney <[email-masked]>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> > Last question/comment I promise - did we engage urban leaders in the
>> > development of the plan?
>> >
>> > Sent from my iPhone
>> >
>> >> On Aug 16, 2015, at 5:15 PM, Joel Benenson <[email-masked]>
>> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Democrats are going to have a field day with it. It is also probably
>> unconstitutional violation of 4th amendment, isn't it?
>> >>
>> >> Sent from my iPad
>> >>
>> >>> On Aug 16, 2015, at 3:10 PM, Karen Finney <[email-masked]
>> >
>> wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>> The only thing that stood out to me was annual drug screening for
>> >>> children and teenagers, could see the GOP having a field day. Can we
>> >>> explain that one a little more?
>> >>>
>> >>> Sent from my iPhone
>> >>>
>> >>>> On Aug 15, 2015, at 6:42 PM, Kristina Costa
>> <[email-masked]> wrote:
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Folks --
>> >>>>
>> >>>> At Dan's request, passing along  a draft HRC op-ed to accompany the
>> substance abuse prevention initiative fact sheet rolling out midweek.
>> Maya, Ann, Sara, Zach, and Ian have all reviewed, edited, and commented.
>> It's now with Tony/research for a fact-check before going up in the book.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Thanks,
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Kristina
>> >>>> <08.14 Substance Abuse Op-Ed ALL EDITS CLEAN.docx>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Ann O'Leary
>>
>> Senior Policy Advisor
>>
>> Hillary for America
>>
>> Cell: 510-717-5518
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Ann O'Leary
>>
>> Senior Policy Advisor
>>
>> Hillary for America
>>
>> Cell: 510-717-5518
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

-- 
Ann O'Leary
Senior Policy Advisor
Hillary for America
Cell: 510-717-5518