Governor Corbett Signs Life-Saving Legislation, Approves Recommendations to Combat Pennsylvania’s Heroin and Opioid Crisis
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Governor
Opioids are a commonly prescribed prescription drug that is highly addictive even when taken as prescribed. Studies have shown that approximately 80 percent of heroin users began their addiction with prescription opioids. Between 2009 and 2013, nearly 3,000 heroin-related overdose deaths were identified by county coroners in
"As a former prosecutor, I've seen opioid addiction and overdoses ruin people's lives and tear families apart, which is why these actions are absolutely critical to stop the escalating opioid problem statewide,"
Senate Bill 1164 will provide legal protections for witnesses, or Good Samaritans, seeking medical help at the scene of an overdose. In addition, it allows Naloxone to be prescribed to a third party, such as a friend or family member, and administered by law enforcement and firefighters.
In May,
"I would like to thank Secretary Tennis, committee members and stakeholders for sharing their input during this process and for providing a comprehensive approach to a very complex problem,"
Safe and Effective Use of Prescription Opioids
Safer Prescribing Practices - Encouraging support for the Prescribing Guidelines by all health care providers and expanding education to prescribers across the state.
Safer Dispensing Practices - Establishing a public-private partnership between the health insurance industry and the state to reduce opioid misuse and overdose.
Reforms to Workers' Compensation- Encourage and support legislative efforts to address unsafe and excessive prescribing practices within Workers' Compensation.
Prescription Drug Monitoring Program- Encourage and support legislative efforts to enact and successfully implement the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.
Access to Treatment
Provider Education- Increase health care provider education and awareness regarding substance use disorders, screening and referral to treatment.
Benefit Education- Increase education and awareness to employees and their family members about substance use disorders, including access to care through
Increased Access through Public-Private Partnerships- Increase public-private partnerships to address substance use disorders, such as cross-agency training to increase awareness of drug addiction, working with third-party insurers to improve awareness of treatment benefits, and addressing drug addiction in the State Healthcare Innovation Plan.
Expansion of Restrictive Intermediate Punishment (RIP)- Expand availability of RIP treatment diversion sentences for offenders currently being sentenced to county jail or to low-level state prison sentences and explore diversion post-arrest vs. at sentencing
Licensing: Professional Intervention
Health-related Boards- Develop and implement an education program for health-related boards administered by the
Business-related Boards- Educate and engage with the Departments of State and Labor and Industry about impacts on the workforce due to drug addiction, including loss of productivity and profits.
Education: Prevention, Intervention and Outreach
Evidence-based Prevention- Establish an informal, internal
Information Dissemination- Distribute materials about prevention and intervention of substance use disorders to employees and the general public.
Overdose Response
Naloxone and Good Samaritan- Support and anticipate passage of legislative efforts aimed to prevent opioid-related overdose deaths by expanding access to naloxone to family members, friends, and first responders; and by permitting limited legal protections for witnesses seeking medical help at the scene of an overdose.
"From the
"The heroin problem cannot be solved solely by law enforcement; it must be addressed by properly preventing addiction, intervening when necessary and helping individuals with addiction get the treatment they deserve," Corbett said.
The governor also urged the legislature to pass Senate Bill 1180, which establishes a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program in
Corbett was joined by
For more information or to view the full Heroin and Other Opioids Workgroup Recommendations, visit www.ddap.pa.gov.
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