2022 Humanitarian Lunch, Washington DC
June 2022 - MAPDA held our 2nd annual Humanitarian Lunch in Washington DC, honoring Senator Shelley Moore Capito (WV) and Congressman Dave Joyce (OH). The event sold out and the attendees enjoyed a mix of great conversation and inspirational speeches. We were pleased to have attendees from our partner-organizations, CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) and SAFE Project (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic). Among the topics of discussion was when our Chairman, Mary Bono, explained why we give crystal hearts to our honorees - that our founder, Janet Janes, once said if she could simply "pour out her heart" to other parents to prevent the pain she experienced from losing a child to an accidental opioid overdose, she would. Hence, we literally hand over our hearts. Our Chairman further explained that she knew well how many times both of our honorees had experienced a similar conversation with a constituent, and that we hope the MAPDA crystal heart reminds them of the important work the do everyday. MAPDA congratulates our very well deserving honorees!
MAPDA Supports Durango Police Departments' CORE Program
June 2022 - MAPDA donated $5000 to the Durango CORE Program, a co-response program. The team responds to behavioral health crises, like mental health and substance abuse, including accidental overdoses. The CORE Program has already made an impact since launching in February. Photographed are the CORE Team, Police Cheif Bob Brammer and our Executive Director, Christal Dye.
Emergent BioSolutions Teams Up with Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and MAPD
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) today announced that it is teaming up with the Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse (MAPDA) to highlight the importance of potentially lifesaving overdose reversal medicines on International Overdose Awareness Day 2020.
International Overdose Awareness Day is a global event held on August 31 each year that aims to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths. Emergent, in collaboration with these teams and MAPDA, will address the importance of accessing overdose reversal medicines through special announcements, videos, and stadium presentations.
“Emergent is committed to doing everything we can to increase awareness, access, and availability of potentially lifesaving overdose reversal medicines,” said Doug White, SVP and devices business unit head at Emergent BioSolutions. “We are proud to team up with the Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and MAPDA on International Overdose Awareness Day to highlight the important role that overdose reversal medicines play in preparing individuals and families in the event of an accidental opioid overdose. Everyone can take a stand and take action by talking to their doctor or pharmacists about having immediate access to overdose reversal medicines.”
“By increasing awareness about the importance of having immediate access to overdose reversal medicines, we may empower individuals to be prepared in the event of an opioid overdose emergency,” said Mary Bono, former U.S. Congresswoman and chairman and CEO of MAPDA. “MAPDA is honored to stand alongside Emergent, the Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and Philadelphia Phillies, to help more individuals know about and access potentially lifesaving medicines to treat opioid overdoses.”
For more information, visit: www.cutoutoverdoses.com.
Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse to honor Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky.
Washington, D.C., October 21, 2019 --- Kentucky congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, who has spearheaded congressional efforts to battle the scourge of opioid addiction, will be honored in Washington Oct. 23 by Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse (MAPDA). The non-profit, chaired by his former House GOP colleague Mary Bono, was founded by mothers who have lost children to the opioid epidemic, which has struck Rogers’s native Kentucky with devastating force.
“Hal was the first in Congress to recognize the threat to our country, our communities and our families,” Bono says. “His leadership is second to none when it comes to addressing the opioid epidemic.”
Rogers, now in his 20th term and the longest serving Kentucky Republican ever elected to federal office, has been at the forefront of the opioid battle since the early 2000s, long before many in Congress realized there even was a crisis. Last year, opioids killed an average 130 people a day nationally. In Kentucky, while the death toll remains devastating – 1,247 overdose deaths last year – fatalities declined 15%.
Rogers’ enormous contribution to this long-running battle will be recognized Oct. 23 at MAPDA’s 1st Annual Humanitarian Award Luncheon.
Among his accomplishments:
In 2001, he helped establish a federal grant program to provide money to Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, now in 49 states, which help doctors and pharmacists spot and prevent prescription drug abuse.
In 2003, he launched Operation UNITE, an initiative in southern and eastern Kentucky that empowers citizen groups and community leaders to battle drug abuse at every level. The organization takes a holistic approach, focusing on law enforcement, treatment and education, which is now a national model to combat the epidemic. UNITE’s life-saving activities include financial aid for low-income residents to get long-term treatment and youth programs that partner with schools to protect and educate children. Today, the annual Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit, which Rogers and Operation UNITE initiated in 2012, continues to draw top advocates, researchers and policy makers from across the country to work on the best strategies to combat this epidemic.
In 2010, Rogers and then-Rep. Bono, R-Calif., launched the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse to bring together like-minded lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, to seek multi-pronged solutions.
And for years Rogers has championed laws that have provided billions to battle the epidemic through prevention, treatment, enforcement and research.
Rogers will be the first recipient of MAPDA’s Humanitarian Award. Proceeds from the event will be used to award scholarships to recovering students to vocational schools and community colleges.
The award luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m., Oct. 23, at Charlie Palmer Steak, 101 Constitution Ave. NW, in Washington. Leidos, a Fortune 500 science and technology leader, has been a leader in fighting the opioid epidemic and is the Legacy sponsor of this event. Other sponsors for the event include Recovery Centers of America, Verde Technologies, Forbes Tate, CADCA, Battelle, Emergent BioSolutions, OB-C Group, and Faegre Baker Daniels. Proceeds from the award lunch will fund more vocational and community college scholarships across the country.
MAPDA in the Media
Mary Bono on the Emily's Hope Podcast, April 2022
Mary joined Angela Kennecke on her podcast to discuss comprehensive solutions to the opioid and fentanyl overdose epidemic.
Job Loss, Anxiety, Isolation: Coronavirus is a Prescription for More Opioid Use
For anyone who suffers from opioid addiction, particularly those struggling to recover, the grueling isolation required by stay-at-home orders, along with job losses, financial fears and anxiety over COVID-19, add up to a potential prescription for relapse.
Congressman Rogers Receives First-Ever MAPDA Humanitarian Award
Mother's Against Prescription Drug Abuse gave their first humanitarian award to Rogers at a luncheon in Washington. The congressman helped launch the congressional caucus on prescription drug abuse, bringing together lawmakers to secure funding and improve laws to tackle addiction issues.
Leftover pills help fuel opioid epidemic: What we can do to reduce misused painkillers.
Because of its disproportionate impact on young lives, the opioid epidemic cost our country almost 1.7 million years of lost life in 2016 alone. It is taking a huge toll on our children, and it’s our job to keep it from doing the same to the next generation.
USA Today: 'Double down' in fight against opioid abuse. By Mary Bono
This dire situation demands action. Now is the time to “double down” in the fight against this epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prescription opioid overdoses have quadrupled since 1999 and continue to be the leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States. Between 2014 through 2015alone, increases in prescription drug overdoses in 19 states were considered statistically significant, and all but nine states have seen increases in overdose deaths.
ABC News: Sue Kruczek, whose son overdosed on heroin, hopes to "warm" Trump's heart.
A heartbroken mother whose son died of a heroin overdose is hoping a Valentine's Day letter about him to President Trump will "warm" his heart and urge the federal government to do more about the crisis. Sue Kruczek, whose son, Nick, died when he was 20 years old, plans to send the letter to the president Saturday, hoping it makes it to his desk by the holiday.
NACo: Former member of Congress, Principal, Faegre Baker Daniels Consulting
Mary Bono served as a U.S. Congresswoman from California from 1998-2013, where she co-founded the Congressional Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Caucus with Rep. Hal Rogers of Kentucky. In her current role as co-convener of the "Collaborative for Effective Opioid Policies," she works to engage diverse stakeholders behind a comprehensive policy strategy to reduce prescription opioid abuse and promote treatment options.
C-Span: National Governors Association, Discussion on Prescription Drug Abuse
Governors met to discuss the best methods to combat the problem of prescription drug abuse. Guest speakers included former Representative Mary Bono (R-CA), co-founder of the Congressional Csucus on Prescription Drug Abuse, who said the current debate surrounding the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana was clouding anti-drug messages targeted toward young people.