Public student loan borrowers who are in treatment to battle addiction would be able to focus on their recovery without worrying about their repayment status under a new bill introduced on Dec. 7 by U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ).
The College Loan Deferment for Recovery Act, H.R. 4597, would allow borrowers who are actively participating in a substance-abuse treatment program to defer their public student loan payments without interest accrual for the duration of their treatment.
“The opioid epidemic continues to destroy communities across the United States, and in many cases, young Americans transitioning to adulthood are the most heavily impacted by this crisis,” said MacArthur, who sponsored H.R. 4597.
The bipartisan bill would give young Americans who are on the road to recovery some financial peace of mind as they receive life-saving treatment for addiction, he added.
U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), who joined MacArthur last week in introducing the bill, said families shouldn’t have to choose between seeking treatment for their loved ones struggling with opioid addiction and paying the bills.
“The pain of helping a family member seek treatment and recover is difficult enough; no one should have to tell their son or daughter that the family can’t afford to treat their child,” Esty said. “This bill will be a small step forward in our efforts to combat the opioid crisis and repair families.”
Mental health and addiction recovery professionals in the lawmakers’ districts welcomed the bill’s introduction.
For instance, James P. Curtin, president and chief executive officer of Daytop New Jersey, which provides substance and mental health treatment for adolescents, adults and families, said H.R. 4597 would provide meaningful and measurable help to people enrolled in a treatment program.
“All too often, financial pressure can act as a relapse trigger,” Curtin said. “This relief, while someone is actively engaged in treatment, will go a long way in supporting someone’s path to recovery.”
According to Maria Coutant Skinner of the McCall Center for Behavioral Health in Torrington, Conn., just 10 percent of those suffering from substance abuse get needed treatment. She said that MacArthur and Esty’s bill would help remove a substantial barrier to that treatment.
“Fully committing to an effective recovery program optimizes the chance that a young person can change the trajectory of their life,” Skinner said. “The lasting outcomes to that investment are enormous.”