In Support of President Biden’s Unity Agenda Call to Action, White House ONDCP Director Visits Indiana to Celebrate Americans in Recovery

As part of Unity Agenda efforts, Dr. Gupta meets with state and local leaders, public health and public safety officials, and people in recovery to discuss ways to come together and make recovery real for more Americans

Indianapolis, IN – As the Biden-Harris Administration works to deliver on President Biden’s Unity Agenda efforts to beat the overdose epidemic and save lives, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Dr. Rahul Gupta traveled to Indiana to meet with students, public health and public safety officials, state and local leaders, and individuals in recovery for a series of Recovery Month events.

There are currently more than 20 million Americans who are in recovery from substance use disorder. President Biden has declared September as National Recovery Month, a time to celebrate the millions of Americans who are in recovery and recommit ourselves to making sure that everyone has access to the services and support they need to rebuild lives of purpose and hope.

“The overdose epidemic is not a red state or a blue state issue – it’s America’s issue, and President Biden has reaffirmed his commitment to beating this crisis and saving lives through his Unity Agenda,” said Dr. Gupta. “I am grateful to the students, state and local elected officials, and community leaders I met with in Indiana who are working urgently to prevent overdoses, support recovery, and expand access to treatment for substance use disorder in the Hoosier state. Together, we can build a recovery-ready nation that supports every person on their recovery journey.”

On Thursday, Dr. Gupta participated in a fireside chat with Dr. Jerome Adams, former U.S. Surgeon General and Purdue University Presidential Fellow and Executive Director of Health Equity Initiatives, and Brian Tabor, President of the Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) at their Perinatal Substance Use Conference. During the conference, Dr. Gupta highlighted key actions the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to improve maternal health outcomes and connect pregnant women with substance use disorder to care.

On Friday, Dr. Gupta met with students, faculty, and local community leaders on improving the nation’s recovery support services during a fireside chat at Purdue University. The group discussed the latest research and trends in substance use disorder as well as recovery efforts in Tippecanoe County. While at Purdue, Dr. Gupta also met with University President Mung Chiang to spotlight the work being done by the Administration to address the overdose epidemic and support the tens of millions of Americans in recovery.

In the afternoon, Dr. Gupta visited Clinton County to tour One80 Recovery Resources Inc. and participate in a roundtable with recovery-friendly employers, people in recovery, and key partner organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce, local elected officials, law enforcement, and Healthy Communities of Clinton County to discuss the critical importance of strengthening recovery-ready workplaces. Dr Gupta was joined by Dr. Adams and Doug Huntsinger, Senior Adviser to Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb and a member of the Governor’s Cabinet as the Executive Director for Drug Prevention, Treatment and Enforcement and Chairman of the Indiana Commission to Combat Substance Use Disorder.

Just last month, Dr. Gupta met with Governor Holcomb to discuss substance use issues in Indiana and efforts to support prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services, as well as supply reduction. During his visit, Dr. Gupta also met with a bipartisan group of state legislators at the National Conference of State Legislatures Annual Legislative Summit in Indianapolis to discuss what they are doing to address the opioid epidemic within their respective states.

During his first State of the Union address, President Biden announced beating the overdose epidemic as one of the four pillars of his Unity Agenda, focused on issues where all Americans – and members of both parties – can come together and make progress for the nation. The President has made this issue a top priority over the past two years, and thanks to historic funding and bipartisan efforts, the Administration has taken historic actions to address substance use, protect public health and public safety, go after drug traffickers’ profits, and save lives.

Read President Biden’s full proclamation on National Recovery Month HERE.

###