The Arizona House Health and Human Services Committee approved a bill last week relating to the distribution of naloxone, an opioid anticoagulant used to reverse overdoses and prevent overdose deaths. The committee approved Senate Bill 1211, which would allow pharmacists to dispense naloxone hydrochloride, or any other opioid antagonist that has been approved by the … Read more
Senators discussed mental health and substance abuse challenges during a joint meeting between the Select Committee on Mental Health and Addiction and the Select Committee on California’s Mental Health last week. They noted that making progress on addressing these issues cannot be done without a strong healthcare workforce. Dr. Janet Coffman, co-associate director at the … Read more
With an opioid crisis raging across the country, many health leaders have promoted harm reduction through the use of naloxone—an opioid antagonist designed to quickly reverse opioid overdoses. Leaders at the forefront of the opioid epidemic in Minnesota met at the 2023 Minnesota State of Reform Health Policy Conference to discuss opioid antagonists’ role in … Read more
Behavioral healthcare and policy experts discussed initiatives opioid settlement dollars will support at the 2023 Tennessee State of Reform Health Policy Conference last month. Tennessee will receive a share of national settlement funds after CVS, Walgreens, and two drug manufacturers agreed to settle in lawsuits that claim the companies contributed to the US opioid crisis. … Read more
Last month, the Maryland Department of Health (DOH) announced that $2.7 million has been made available over the next three years to support pregnant and parenting women recovering from opioid use disorder and substance use disorder. Maryland is piloting the program, known as Strengthening Families in Recovery (SFP). “The Strengthening Families approach will be incorporated … Read more
Maricopa County recently announced 12 local organizations that will receive about $2 million of its $80 million in national opioid settlement funds that were negotiated between states, Tribal nations, and opioid distributors and manufacturers. Arizona is expected to receive $542 million over 18 years. One of Maricopa County’s awardees include Live and Learn Arizona, a … Read more
Health leaders from Maryland’s Cecil County held a meeting last month to discuss ways in which they will use money from the opioid settlement fund. Key areas of focus include prevention and education, and centering the voices of those with previous substance use experiences. Maryland established the Opioid Restitution Fund (ORF) in 2019 to receive … Read more
Better access to medications like buprenorphine, methadone, and naloxone will be key in helping King County officials address the growing number of drug overdose deaths in the area. Brad Finegood, strategic advisor at the Seattle & King County Public Health Department, gave an update on overdose trends and responses during a King County Board of … Read more
This edition includes coverage of a bill to prohibit Medicaid coverage of step therapy, a report showing the significant contribution Florida hospitals make to the state’s economy, and information about upcoming Medicaid redeterminations. Thanks for reading! Eli Kirshbaum State of Reform 1. Legislature looks to eliminate step therapy in Medicaid We’re monitoring the progress … Read more
After not holding meetings since mid-February, the Arizona House’s Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday to discuss five Senate bills. While three bills passed swiftly with unanimous approval, two bills concerning born-alive infants and prescription opioid container caps were met with more discussion. SB 1600 passed out of the Senate’s Health and Human … Read more