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PRINTER'S NO. 4194
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
956
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY KEEFER, BURNS, DONATUCCI, RYAN, TOEPEL, MOUL,
ZABEL, HANBIDGE, BROWN, KAUFFMAN, HOHENSTEIN, SCHLEGEL
CULVER, MACKENZIE, FREEMAN, SCHMITT, HILL-EVANS, LONGIETTI,
MILLARD, PASHINSKI, SONNEY, McNEILL, SANCHEZ, ZIMMERMAN,
NEILSON, STRUZZI AND HICKERNELL, JULY 30, 2020
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JULY 30, 2020
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing August 31, 2020, as "International Overdose
Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Addiction is a medical disease resulting from
substance use disorder; and
WHEREAS, "International Overdose Awareness Day" aims to raise
awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of drug-related
deaths; and
WHEREAS, Recognizing "International Overdose Awareness Day"
acknowledges the grief felt by families and friends remembering
individuals who have died or suffered permanent injury as a
result of a drug overdose; and
WHEREAS, In 2018, 4,491 overdose deaths occurred in this
Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 12 people died of drug-related
overdoses each day in 2018 in this Commonwealth, with thousands
more affected by addiction either personally or through family,
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friends and loved ones; and
WHEREAS, The establishment and continued work of the
Commonwealth's Opioid Command Center since January 2018 has
advanced the education, outreach and interagency coordination in
combating the substance use and overdose epidemic in this
Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has
partnered with local entities to implement warm hand-off to
treatment protocols which have connected more than 11,500
individuals to date to substance use disorder treatment
immediately following an overdose; and
WHEREAS, The day's theme, "Time to Remember, Time to Act," is
meant to encourage further discussion and implement new policies
and remove barriers to address the evolving need for support and
resources relating to substance use disorder; and
WHEREAS, "International Overdose Awareness Day" provides an
opportunity for this Commonwealth to send a strong message to
individuals suffering from substance use disorder that they are
valued; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize August
31, 2020, as "International Overdose Awareness Day" in
Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives join in the
global effort to support individuals, families and friends
affected by overdose; and be it further
RESOLVED, That, in an effort to raise awareness and encourage
discussion about disease prevalence and overdose prevention, the
House of Representatives recognizes that substance use disorder
is a public health crisis that impacts everyone throughout this
Commonwealth.
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