PRINTER'S NO. 1355
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
216
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY POLINCHOCK, CIRESI, DiGIROLAMO, FARRY, FREEMAN,
HEFFLEY, McCLINTON, PASHINSKI, RIGBY, SAPPEY, THOMAS AND
TOOHIL, APRIL 10, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, APRIL 10, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Establishing a legislative task force on overdose recovery and
directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
study on warm hand-off to treatment for individuals with a
substance use disorder in this Commonwealth and to report its
findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives.
WHEREAS, Managing the aftermath of an overdose by offering
lifesaving assistance is only the first step needed for
survival; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth began to combat the opioid
addiction crisis by authorizing the use of naloxone for first
responders to bring individuals back from the brink of death
after an overdose; and
WHEREAS, For overdose survivors, warm hand-off to addiction
treatment is the critical next step to restore lasting health
and safety; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives establish a
legislative task force on overdose recovery; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the task force be comprised of four members of
the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the
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House of Representatives, two members recommended by the
Majority Leader of the House of Representatives and two members
recommended by the Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
State Government Commission to assist the task force and conduct
a study on warm hand-off to treatment for individuals with a
substance use disorder in this Commonwealth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, as part
of its study, establish an advisory committee, consisting of the
following members:
(1) The Secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs or a
designee.
(2) The Secretary of Health or a designee.
(3) The Secretary of Human Services or a designee.
(4) The Secretary of Corrections or a designee.
(5) The Adjutant General or a designee.
(6) An individual who is in long-term recovery with
knowledge and training in substance use disorder treatment.
(7) A certified peer specialist.
(8) The following representatives from professional
associations or businesses in this Commonwealth:
(i) A district attorney.
(ii) A law enforcement official.
(iii) A fire department.
(iv) An emergency medical service provider.
(v) A provider of drug and alcohol addiction
treatment.
(vi) A hospital administrator.
(vii) An addiction treatment provider.
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(viii) A certified recovery specialist.
(ix) A recovery organization.
(x) A health insurance entity.
(xi) An emergency physician.
(xii) A public health specialist.
(xiii) A county drug and alcohol administrator.
(xiv) An expert in large-scale data entry systems
and procedures.
(xv) An expert in Federal and State confidentiality
laws regarding substance use disorder and treatment.
(xvi) An expert in medical marijuana.
(xvii) A foundation supporting unmet addiction
treatment needs;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the initial purpose of the advisory committee
shall be to recommend ways to develop and implement overdose
stabilization and warm hand-off centers that are staffed at
locations that can medically oversee the stabilization of
overdose survivors, begin detoxification when clinically
appropriate, engage survivors with intervention specialists,
complete a full addiction assessment and referral and connect
survivors to all modalities and levels of treatment established
by research as effective in achieving long-term recovery
depending on the survivor's individual clinical needs; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the advisory committee provide expertise on
how overdose stabilization and warm hand-off centers shall
address the needs of survivors' families and utilize families in
the engagement and treatment of the survivors, as appropriate;
and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the advisory committee offer recommendations
on how to ensure that medical personnel at overdose
stabilization and warm hand-off centers are trained in
identifying patients who, due to other conditions, should be
referred immediately to a hospital emergency department; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That the advisory committee explore mechanisms and
recommend ways to expand, where feasible, the function of
currently existing crisis health care facilities so they can
serve as overdose stabilization and warm hand-off centers, in
addition to their current functions; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the development of overdose stabilization and
warm hand-off center recommendations made by the advisory
committee include:
(1) Identifying the areas in this Commonwealth that will
benefit most from the placement of overdose stabilization and
warm hand-off centers through an analysis of population
density and number of overdose deaths.
(2) Creating the design, staffing structure and
operational protocols of the overdose stabilization and warm
hand-off centers, which may include consideration of existing
detoxification facilities with expanded capacity and
functions.
(3) Expanding the functions of currently existing crisis
health care facilities so they can also serve as overdose
stabilization and warm hand-off centers.
(4) Identifying funding sources for overdose
stabilization and warm hand-off centers that can become self-
sustaining.
(5) Examining the need for creating a new licensing
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category to cover the overdose stabilization and warm hand-
off centers.
(6) Establishing criteria to evaluate the performance
and effectiveness of overdose stabilization and warm hand-off
centers that can be used to gather and make recommendations
for continuous quality improvements.
(7) Examining methods of collecting clinically useful
data related to capacity and treatment outcomes;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the advisory committee establish criteria to
evaluate the effectiveness, financial impact and the impact of
the availability of emergency medical services (EMS) resources
to a geographic area when EMS utilizes an overdose stabilization
and warm hand-off center; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the advisory committee establish criteria to
evaluate the effectiveness of the Department of Health's EMS
warm hand-off training curriculum and protocols relative to
medical overdose stabilization; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission issue a
report of its findings and recommendations to the House of
Representatives no later than 18 months after the adoption of
this resolution.
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