Rep. Melanie Stansbury Visits State of the Heart Recovery Center

November 26, 2024
Press Release

Stansbury is working in Congress to curb the addiction crisis, flow of fentanyl

Albuquerque, N.M. — Today, Representative Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) toured State of the Heart Recovery Center, a non-profit focused on treating substance abuse, and spoke on the importance of addressing the addiction crisis in New Mexico. 

“Communities in New Mexico are suffering at the hands of addiction,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01). “It’s my duty as a Member of Congress to help address this, and that is why I am committed to working on the federal level as well as partnering with state and local agencies to ensure our communities find the help and support to beat addiction.” 

Rep. Stansbury met and spoke with Max Juarez, Chief Operating Officer, and Katie Ortiz y Pino, Peer Support Worker, on the mission of non-profit and who it serves.  

State of the Heart’s integrated approach addresses all aspects of a person’s emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Their programs cover traditional evidence-based treatments, as well as cutting-edge technology and self-care therapies. 

In Congress, Rep. Stansbury has worked to address the behavioral health and addiction crisis: 

  • The Congresswoman introduced the STOPP Act – the Stop the Opioid Pill Presserand Fentanyl Act, which would: 
  • Require those who manufacture or distribute pill tableting or encapsulating machines and their critical parts to “serialize” their machinery. 
  • Keep records of all relevant transactions and report those transactions to the Attorney General. 
  • Create a national registry to track the movement of these pill tableting or 
  • She is a proud member of the Bipartisan Fentanyl Prevention Caucus. 
  • She has repeatedly advocated for the reauthorization of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. 
  • She has secured more than $7.3 million in Community Project Funding for drug detection technology and public safety vehicles, as well as addiction treatment and prevention. 
  • She has also requested more than $4.5 million in FY25 Community Project Funding to further invest in our communities and help with this epidemic. 

 See photos and videos from the tour here. 



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