HF 3534

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/19/2018 03:57pm

A bill for an act
relating to health; establishing an opioid reduction pilot program; appropriating
money.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin OPIOID OVERDOSE REDUCTION PILOT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of health shall provide grants to
ambulance services to fund activities by community paramedic teams to reduce opioid
overdoses in the state. Under this pilot program, ambulance services shall develop and
implement projects in which community paramedics connect with patients who are discharged
from a hospital following an opioid overdose episode, develop personalized care plans for
those patients, and provide follow-up services to those patients.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Priority areas; services. new text end

new text begin (a) In a project developed under this section, an
ambulance service must target community paramedic team services to portions of the service
area with high levels of opioid use, high death rates from opioid overdoses, and urgent needs
for interventions.
new text end

new text begin (b) In a project developed under this section, a community paramedic team shall:
new text end

new text begin (1) provide services to patients released from a hospital following an opioid overdose
episode and place priority on serving patients who were administered the opiate antagonist
naloxone hydrochloride by emergency medical services personnel in response to a 911 call
during the opioid overdose episode;
new text end

new text begin (2) provide the following evaluations during an initial home visit: a home safety
assessment including whether there is a need to dispose of prescription drugs that are expired
or no longer needed; medication reconciliation; an HIV risk assessment; instruction on the
use of naloxone hydrochloride; and a basic needs assessment;
new text end

new text begin (3) provide patients with health assessments, medication management, chronic disease
monitoring and education, and assistance in following hospital discharge orders; and
new text end

new text begin (4) work with a multidisciplinary team to address the overall physical and mental health
needs of patients and health needs related to substance use disorder treatment.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Evaluation. new text end

new text begin An ambulance service that receives a grant under this section must
evaluate the extent to which the project was successful in reducing the number of opioid
overdoses and opioid overdose deaths among patients who received services and in reducing
the inappropriate use of opioids by patients who received services. The commissioner of
health shall develop specific evaluation measures and reporting timelines for ambulance
services receiving grants. Ambulance services must submit the information required by the
commissioner to the commissioner and the chairs and ranking minority members of the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services by December 1,
2019.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; OPIOID OVERDOSE REDUCTION PILOT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of health for the opioid overdose reduction pilot program under section 1. This appropriation
is available until June 30, 2021. Of this appropriation, the commissioner may use up to
$50,000 to administer the program.
new text end