HB 18-1003

HB 18-1003, titled "Opioid Misuse Prevention," is a Colorado bill aimed at addressing the opioid and substance use disorder crisis in the state. It establishes a study committee that will investigate current resources for prevention, treatment, and recovery, as well as gaps in these services, and suggest legislative solutions by 2020. The bill also allocates funds to expand behavioral health services in schools, create screening programs for substance abuse, and develop educational activities for medical professionals on safe opioid prescribing practices. Additionally, it sets up a youth-focused prevention program and provides grants for research into substance use disorders. Since the bill has been signed, its provisions are now law and being implemented by various state departments.

Official Summary

Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Interim Study Committee. Section 1 of the bill establishes in statute the opioid and other substance use disorders study committee, consisting of 5 senators and 5 representatives from the general assembly, to: Study data and statistics on the scope of the substance use disorder problem in Colorado; Study current prevention, intervention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery resources available to Coloradans, as well as public and private insurance coverage and other sources of support for treatment and recovery resources; Review the availability of medication-assisted treatment and the ability of pharmacists to prescribe those medications; Examine measures that other states and countries use to address substance use disorders; Identify the gaps in prevention, intervention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery resources available to Coloradans and hurdles to accessing those resources; and Identify possible legislative options to address gaps and hurdles to accessing prevention, intervention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery resources. The committee is authorized to meet 6 times in a calendar year and may report up to 6 legislative measures to the legislative council, which bills are exempt from bill limitations and introduction deadlines. The committee is repealed on July 1, 2020. Section 2 requires the governor to direct the Colorado consortium for prescription drug abuse prevention to: Create a process to develop a plan that addresses the full continuum of recovery services; Develop a definition for recovery residences and recommend whether the residences should be licensed; and Report recommendations to the general assembly. Section 3 specifies school-based health care centers may apply for grants from the school-based health center grant program to expand behavioral health services to include treatment for opioid and other substance use disorders and requires the department of public health and environment to prioritize funding to the centers that serve communities with high-risk factors. Section 4 directs the department of health care policy and financing, starting July 1, 2018, to award grants to organizations to operate a substance abuse screening, brief intervention, and referral program. Section 5 creates the Charlie Hughes and Nathan Gauna opioid prevention pilot program in the Tony Grampsas youth services program for preventing opioid use among the youth population and supporting youth whose family members experience addiction. The Tony Grampsas youth services board shall oversee a grant process for the pilot program using specific criteria. The Tony Grampsas youth services program shall award the grants on or before October 1, 2018. The bill creates a fund for the direct and indirect costs associated with the program. The department of human services is required to work with the grant recipients and submit a report to the general assembly on or before January 1, 2021, regarding the progress of the grant recipients. Section 6 directs the center for research into substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery to develop and implement continuing medical education activities to help prescribers of pain medication to safely and effectively manage patients with chronic pain, and when appropriate, prescribe opioids. Sections 3 through 6 also direct the general assembly to appropriate money to implement those sections. Section 7 appropriates: $675,00 to the department of health care policy and financing from the marijuana tax cash fund to implement the bill; $750,000 to the department of higher education from the marijuana tax cash fund for research purposes; $1,500,000 to the youth opioid and substance use prevention fund from the marijuana tax cash fund; $500,000 to the department of human services from reappropriated funds for use by the division of child welfare; $90,928 to the department of humans services from the marijuana tax cash fund for use by the division of child welfare; $39,249 to the legislative department from the general fund; and $775,00 to the department of public health and environment from the marijuana tax cash fund for use by the prevention services division.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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