Amendment ID: S2609-48

Amendment 48

Prison-Based Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution Pilot Program

Messrs. Lesser and O'Connor move that the proposed new text be amended by inserting in Section X of the bill the following:-   

"SECTION XX. The department of public health and department of corrections shall collaborate to establish a Prison-Based Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution pilot program for the purpose of preventing opioid addiction and overdose by inmates upon and after their release.

The pilot program shall be established in at least two department of correction facilities in the commonwealth for one year, subject to renewal one year from the Prison-Based Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution pilot program start date. The program shall provide all department of correction staff and parole officers, inmates to be released within 30 days, and may offer to inmate family members, overdose prevention training, which shall include but not be limited to: understanding the risks of opioid use; how to assemble and administer intranasal naloxone; the risk factors for overdose; how to recognize when an overdose is occurring; what to do when witnessing an overdose; and an overview of legal protections for people using naloxone. Upon release, inmates shall be offered a kit that contains a summary of the overdose prevention training, contact information for mental health and substance abuse resources and one dose of intranasal naloxone. All participating department of correction facilities shall be designated as eligible to participate in the Municipal Naloxone Bulk Purchase Program, pursuant to section 2RRRR of chapter 29 of the general laws. The department of public health and department of corrections shall promulgate regulations to implement this section.

The department of public health and department of corrections shall jointly file a report with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery , the joint committee on public health and the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than June 1, 2020. The report shall include but not be limited to: a description of the training curriculum for department of correction staff and parole officers, inmates and family members; the number of department of correction staff, parole officers, inmates and family members trained; the number of kits dispensed to inmates; how many doses of intranasal naloxone are purchased by the department of corrections; at what price they were purchased; the total cost of naloxone purchased, and the total cost of implementing the program for each participating department of correction facility."