Substitute House Bill No. 5291
Public Act No. 24-120
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 Section 19a-127q of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2024):
(a) On and after January 1, 2019, any hospital licensed pursuant to
chapter 368v or emergency medical services personnel, as defined in
section 20-206jj, that treats a patient for an overdose of an opioid drug,
as defined in section 20-14o, shall report such overdose to the
Department of Public Health in a form and manner prescribed by the
Commissioner of Public Health.
(b) On and after January 1, 2020, any hospital licensed pursuant to
chapter 368v that treats a patient for a nonfatal overdose of an opioid
drug, as defined in section 20-14o, shall administer a mental health
screening or assessment of the patient if medically appropriate, and
provide the results of such screening or assessment to the patient if
medically appropriate, or to the patient's parent, guardian or legal
representative, as applicable, if medically appropriate.
(c) On or before January 1, 2020, the Department of Public Health Substitute House Bill No. 5291
Public Act No. 24-120 2 of 3
shall provide the data reported pursuant to subsection (a) of this section
to the municipal health department or district department of health that
has jurisdiction over the location in which such overdose occurred, or,
if such location is unknown, the location in which the hospital or
emergency medical services personnel treated the patient, as the
department, in its discretion, deems necessary to develop preventive
initiatives.
(d) (1) From January 1, 2025, until August 31, 2028, any hospital
licensed pursuant to chapter 368v that treats a patient for a nonfatal
overdose of an opioid drug, as defined in section 20-14o, shall
administer, with the patient's consent, a toxicology screening of the
patient, if medically appropriate. Such screening shall include, but need
not be limited to, screening for opiates, opioids, benzodiazepines,
cannabinoids, methadone, cocaine, gabapentin, xylazine and any other
substance deemed appropriate by the commissioner. Any hospital that
administers a toxicology screening pursuant to the provisions of this
subsection shall report the screening results to the Department of Public
Health in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner.
(2) On or before January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, until
January 1, 2029, the commissioner shall report, in accordance with the
provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of the
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public
health regarding toxicology screening results obtained pursuant to the
provisions of this subsection. Such report shall include, but need not be
limited to, (A) the identification and analysis of any trends identified as
a result of toxicology screening results obtained pursuant to the
provisions of this subsection, (B) the identification of any benefits
experienced by patients seeking emergency department care for
nonfatal overdoses as a result of the toxicology screening results
obtained pursuant to this subsection, and (C) a recommendation
regarding whether toxicology screening reporting performed pursuant Substitute House Bill No. 5291
Public Act No. 24-120 3 of 3
to this subsection should continue after August 31, 2028.
[(d)] (e) Data reported to the Department of Public Health by a
hospital or emergency medical services personnel pursuant to the
provisions of this section shall at all times remain confidential pursuant
to section 19a-25.