Gallego Backs Bipartisan TREATS Act to Strengthen Access to Addiction Therapy Services

WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)backs theTelehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act, a bipartisan bill that strengthens access to addiction treatment services through telehealth. The legislation would make permanent the telehealth flexibilities that allowed patients to receive life-saving addiction treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The opioid and fentanyl epidemic has devastated Arizona families for far too long,”said Senator Gallego.“In 2023, we lost more than five Arizonans every single day to an opioid overdose, and too many others are still struggling to find help. Addiction treatment shouldn’t depend on a zip code. By making these pandemic-era telehealth tools permanent through the TREATS Act, we can ensure that every Arizonan—regardless of where they live—has access to safe, effective treatment and the stability, recovery, and hope they deserve.”
TheTREATS Actpermanently extends vital telehealth provisions that were introduced during the pandemic, which enabled patients to consult with licensed providers and access medication-assisted treatment without facing unnecessary barriers. By expanding flexibility for telehealth prescribing, the bill aims to make addiction treatment more accessible, especially in rural and tribal communities.
Read the full billHERE.
Senator Gallego has consistently championed legislation to combat the opioid crisis, including theHalt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act,theCombating Illicit Xylazine Act,theNitazene Control Act, and theContraband Awareness Technology Catches Harmful (CATCH) Fentanyl Act. TheTREATS Actbuilds on these efforts, continuing Gallego’s fight to provide accessible and effective addiction treatment to Arizona communities.
12/1/25