I was selected by Texas House Speaker Straus to be a member of the Select Committee on Opioid and Substance Abuse this interim. My fellow committee members and I will address issues involving substance abuse throughout the state.

Last interim, the House Committee on County Affairs that I chair found that 2/3rds of Child Protective Services (CPS) removals stemmed from a substance abuse issue within the home. This shows the direct correlation between this epidemic and children in foster care.

To begin to address this issue I added a rider to the Texas Budget that makes parents who suffer from substance abuse and have children in the foster care system a priority population for Texas' Health and Human Service Commission.

I also got the ball rolling on expanding Family Drug Courts across Texas. Family Drug Courts allow for children to stay in their homes with their parents while their parents gain the skills to be better parents and overcome their substance abuse.

Below you will find two articles addressing the opioid epidemic:

First, you can read a recent opinion piece from the New York Times regarding substance abuse and its effect on children. Or, click here to read.

Second, you can read a recent piece from the Houston Chronicle regarding opioid abuse and its effect on our economy. Or, click here to read.