reataza. miss hulsey, will you please proceed? >> thank you chairman neal, member brady, and members of the committee for having me here today. my name is jessica hulsey, founder of the addiction policy forum, a nonprofit, working in states and communities across the country to end the stigma around addiction, to help families in crisis, and to translate the science. over the last two years, as our country has grappled with the pandemic, if addiction is worsened at historic rates. obstructions to the pandemic, or in too many cases catastrophic for our patients. we conducted an atf surge, and interviews with our patients. one shared, living through recovery in this time, of being able to be active in meetings has been disappointing. when they keep liquor stores and weed shops open, this society is so twisted. also, later this month, we are releasing a patient journey map which also understand the recovering process, and input from our patients. the project has so many findings. but, one to shar

marielle reataza, executive director of the national asian pacific american families against substance abuse. finally, we have jessica hulsey, founder & ceo at the addiction policy forum. each of your statements will be made part of the record in their entirety. i would ask you to summarize your testimony. to help you with that time please keep your eye on the clock. i will notify you when your time has expired. dr. metzl, please proceed. >> it is an honor to speak here today. hopefully the next time we do this can come in person. i think hopefully my message will come through nonetheless. i am on one hand a trained psychiatrist and over the course of my career i have seen up close the devastating effects of the topics we are talking about today. depression, suicide, addiction. i agree with everything we just heard. they cross -- they cut across party, ideology and jeff graphic locale. -- jack rfid locale. -- geographic locale. rightly described as a national emergency about the need to address mental issues broadly. i think we need more and better treatment, more specific treatment. i

marielle reataza, executive director of the national asian pacific american families against substance abuse. finally, we have jessica hulsey, founder & ceo at the addiction policy forum. each of your statements will be made part of the record in their entirety. i would ask you to summarize your testimony. to help you with that time please keep your eye on the clock. i will notify you when your time has expired. dr. metzl, please proceed. >> it is an honor to speak here today. hopefully the next time we do this can come in person. i think hopefully my message will come through nonetheless. i am on one hand a trained psychiatrist and over the course of my career i have seen up close the devastating effects of the topics we are talking about today. depression, suicide, addiction. i agree with everything we just heard. they cross -- they cut across party, ideology and jeff graphic locale. -- jack rfid locale. -- geographic locale. rightly described as a national emergency about the need to address mental issues broadly. i think we need more and better treatment, more specific treatment. i

marielle reataza, executive director of the national asian pacific american families against substance abuse. finally, we have jessica hulsey, founder & ceo at the addiction policy forum. each of your statements will be made part of the record in their entirety. i would ask you to summarize your testimony. to help you with that time please keep your eye on the clock. i will notify you when your time has expired. dr. metzl, please proceed. >> it is an honor to speak here today. hopefully the next time we do this can come in person. i think hopefully my message will come through nonetheless. i am on one hand a trained psychiatrist and over the course of my career i have seen up close the devastating effects of the topics we are talking about today. depression, suicide, addiction. i agree with everything we just heard. they cross -- they cut across party, ideology and jeff graphic locale. -- jack rfid locale. -- geographic locale. rightly described as a national emergency about the need to address mental issues broadly. i think we need more and better treatment, more specific treatment. i