evidence: "After many years of persistent advocacy, today I partnered with my colleague, Democrat Congressman Tonko to reintroduce the Medicaid Reentry Act, which will provide a pathway to access addiction treatment during incarcerated individuals' transition to society. Incarcerated individuals are 129 times more likely to overdose and die relative to the general population, and this devastating problem has undoubtedly worsened during the coronavirus pandemic," said Turner. "I am proud to champion this important bipartisan effort alongside Rep. Tonko. This landmark legislation will help reduce recidivism among incarcerated individuals and will work towards bringing America and Ohio one step closer to combatting the deadly opioid crisis." [...] According to research conducted by the Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, drug overdose is the number one cause of death following release from the criminal justice system, and the majority of overdose deaths are opioid related. Similarly, a study in Washington State demonstrated that individuals released from prison had 129 times greater risk of drug overdose in the two weeks after the release relative to the general population. Recent reports have showed that Opioid deaths in Ohio are at a ten year high, and many national experts and organizations have sounded the alarm that a surge in opioid deaths may be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. To make matters worse, incarcerated population is already uniquely impacted by COVID-19 as incarcerated individuals often cannot achieve social distancing in their living environments.