Establishes an emergency opioid overdose prevention pilot program whereby police agencies and certain public high schools could administer Naloxone to persons who have overdosed on an opioid

2 Co-sponsors

• Phil Boyle
• Andrew J. Lanza

BILL NUMBER:S4588

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing an emergency opioid overdose prevention pilot program and the use of opioid inverse agonists in opioid overdose prevention

Purpose or general idea of bill

Establishes the Emergency Opioid Overdose Prevention Pilot Program through which the Commissioner of Health will make naloxone available to up to 30 public high schools throughout the state and to trained police officers upon request.

Summary of provisions

Section one amends Public Health Law (PHL) § 3309 to require the Commissioner of Health to create the Emergency Opioid Overdose Prevention Pilot Program. Under the program, naloxone will be made available, upon request, to all law enforcement agencies provided the officers of such agency have received the appropriate training. The program shall also provide naloxone to up to 30 schools across the state, with not less than two in each region. The school nurse and at least one other staff member at each participating school must also receive appropriate training.

This section also amends the opioid overdose data collection and report to require the Commissioner to include information pertaining to the use of naloxone under the program and any other information necessary to ascertain the success of the program. Such findings shall be submitted annually but may be submitted as part of an existing report.

Section two provides that the act shall take effect immediately.

Justification

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that every 19 minutes, one person dies from an accidental overdose or suicide as a result of prescription drug abuse. A person suffering from an opioid or opiate overdose will demonstrate very shallow or non-existent breathing which may lead to oxygen deprivation causing brain damage or death. However, if naloxone (Narcan) is timely administered it can revive the most catatonic drug user and give them a second chance at life. Naloxone, often referred to as a drug-overdose antidote, is a drug used to reverse an overdose by blocking the opioid receptor and counteracting the life-threatening depression of the central nervous system and respiratory system.

In 2005, the state authorized non-medical persons to administer naloxone to another individual in order to prevent an opioid or heroin overdose from becoming fatal. The Department of Health recommends administering naloxone directly after calling 911 and checking for breathing. The cost of naloxone is minimal, especially when compared to the benefit, ranging from approximately $6-$20,

As the prescription drug crisis continues to grow, expanded access to naloxone has become a necessary priority. In Nassau County, EMTs administer naloxone through their police department's ambulance service. Last year, Suffolk County began participation in a program whereby the state provided first responders, including police, with naloxone. In the first five months alone, it is estimated 22 lives

were saved under this program. Under this legislation, all properly trained police department's could request naloxone from the Department of Health, With the growth of abuse amongst teens, it also is important to expand access to naloxone in schools and to train and authorize school nurses and other staff to administer the drug in emergency situations. By increasing access to the drug-overdose antidote, this legislation will help prevent the tragic loss of life as we continue to fight this crisis.

Prior legislative history

New Bill.

Fiscal implications

Undetermined.

Effective date

Immediately.