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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5291
February Session, 2024
AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING IMPROVED OPIOID
MONITORING.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 19a-127q of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2024): 2
(a) On and after January 1, 2019, any hospital licensed pursuant to 3
chapter 368v or emergency medical services personnel, as defined in 4
section 20-206jj, that treats a patient for an overdose of an opioid drug, 5
as defined in section 20-14o, shall report such overdose to the 6
Department of Public Health in a form and manner prescribed by the 7
Commissioner of Public Health. 8
(b) On and after January 1, 2020, any hospital licensed pursuant to 9
chapter 368v that treats a patient for a nonfatal overdose of an opioid 10
drug, as defined in section 20-14o, shall administer a mental health 11
screening or assessment of the patient if medically appropriate, and 12
provide the results of such screening or assessment to the patient if 13
medically appropriate, or to the patient's parent, guardian or legal 14
representative, as applicable, if medically appropriate. 15
(c) On or before January 1, 2020, the Department of Public Health 16 Substitute Bill No. 5291
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shall provide the data reported pursuant to subsection (a) of this section 17
to the municipal health department or district department of health that 18
has jurisdiction over the location in which such overdose occurred, or, 19
if such location is unknown, the location in which the hospital or 20
emergency medical services personnel treated the patient, as the 21
department, in its discretion, deems necessary to develop preventive 22
initiatives. 23
(d) (1) From January 1, 2025, until August 31, 2028, any hospital 24
licensed pursuant to chapter 368v that treats a patient for a nonfatal 25
overdose of an opioid drug, as defined in section 20-14o, shall 26
administer, with the patient's consent, a toxicology screening of the 27
patient, if medically appropriate. Such screening shall include, but need 28
not be limited to, screening for opiates, opioids, benzodiazepines, 29
cannabinoids, methadone, cocaine, gabapentin, xylazine and any other 30
substance deemed appropriate by the commissioner. Any hospital that 31
administers a toxicology screening pursuant to the provisions of this 32
subsection shall report the screening results to the Department of Public 33
Health in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. 34
(2) On or before January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, until 35
January 1, 2029, the commissioner shall report, in accordance with the 36
provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of the 37
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public 38
health regarding toxicology screening results obtained pursuant to the 39
provisions of this subsection. Such report shall include, but need not be 40
limited to, (A) the identification and analysis of any trends identified as 41
a result of toxicology screening results obtained pursuant to the 42
provisions of this subsection, (B) the identification of any benefits 43
experienced by patients seeking emergency department care for 44
nonfatal overdoses as a result of the toxicology screening results 45
obtained pursuant to this subsection, and (C) a recommendation 46
regarding whether toxicology screening reporting performed pursuant 47
to this subsection should continue after August 31, 2028. 48
[(d)] (e) Data reported to the Department of Public Health by a 49 Substitute Bill No. 5291
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hospital or emergency medical services personnel pursuant to the 50
provisions of this section shall at all times remain confidential pursuant 51
to section 19a-25. 52
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2024 19a-127q
PH Joint Favorable Subst.