Bill Text: NJ S480 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires anyone administered opioid antidote to treat drug overdose be provided with information concerning substance treatment programs and resources.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [S480 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S480-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH F. VITALE
District 19 (Middlesex)
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Ruiz and Weinberg
SYNOPSIS
Requires anyone administered opioid antidote to treat drug overdose be provided with information concerning substance treatment programs and resources.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning substance abuse treatment and supplementing Title 24 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. If an opioid antidote is administered by a health care professional or a first responder to a person experiencing a drug overdose, information concerning substance abuse treatment programs and resources including information on the availability of opioid antidotes shall be provided to the person as follows:
(1) If the person is admitted to a health care facility or receives treatment in the emergency department of a health care facility, a staff member designated by the health care facility, who may be a social worker, addiction counselor, or other appropriate professional, shall provide the information to the person at any time after treatment for the drug overdose is complete, but prior to the person's discharge from the facility. The designated staff member shall document the provision of the information in the person's medical record, and may, in collaboration with an appropriate health care professional, additionally develop an individualized substance abuse treatment plan for the person.
(2) If the opioid antidote is administered by a first responder and the person experiencing the overdose is not subsequently transported to a health care facility, the first responder shall provide the information to the person at the time treatment for the drug overdose is complete.
b. As used in this section:
"First responder" means a law enforcement officer, paid or volunteer firefighter, paid or volunteer member of a duly incorporated first aid, emergency, ambulance, or rescue squad association, or any other individual who, in the course of that individual's employment, is dispatched to the scene of an emergency situation for the purpose of providing medical care or other assistance.
"Health care facility" means a health care facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).
c. The Commissioner of Human Services shall develop informational materials concerning substance abuse treatment programs and resources and information on the availability of opioid antidotes for dissemination to health care professionals and first responders to facilitate the provision of information to patients pursuant to this section.
2. This act shall take effect the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment, except that the Commissioner of Human Services may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that a person experiencing a drug overdose who is administered an opioid antidote is provided with information concerning substance abuse treatment programs and resources, including information on the availability of opioid antidotes. If the person is admitted to a health care facility or receives treatment in the emergency department of a health care facility, a staff member designated by the facility, such as a social worker or addiction counselor, will be required to provide the information at any time after treatment for the drug overdose is complete but prior to the person's discharge from the facility. The designated staff member will also be required to document the provision of the information in the person's medical record and will be permitted to develop, in conjunction with an appropriate health care professional, a substance abuse treatment plan for the person. If the opioid antidote is administered by a first responder and the person is not subsequently transported to a health care facility, the first responder will be required to provide the information when treatment for the drug overdose is complete.
The Commissioner of Human Services will be required to develop informational materials concerning substance abuse treatment programs and resources, including information on the availability of opioid antidotes, for dissemination to health care professionals and first responders to facilitate the provision of information to patients pursuant to the bill.
