Alaska schools to be stocked with anti-overdose kits under new law

Boxed kits pinch naloxone, an overdose-reversal drug, and associated instrumentality are stacked connected tables astatine nan Alaska Department of Health’s Anchorage agency connected Aug. 9. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Emergency kits to prevention victims of opioid overdoses are connected their measurement to Alaska schools, successful accordance pinch a caller law.

The rule is nan merchandise of a measure, House Bill 202, that Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed connected Aug. 30. The bill requires schools statewide to person kits connected manus and, erstwhile schools are successful convention aliases different unfastened to nan public, trained group connected tract to administer those kits if needed.

Although nan caller rule formally goes into effect 90 days aft nan politician signed nan bill, arsenic is usually nan lawsuit pinch Alaska legislation, nan authorities Department of Health has already begun shipping retired kits pinch overdose-reversal medicine and associated gear.

As of early this week, astir 200 of nan 500 kits that were assembled by nan Department of Health person been sent to schoolhouse districts, said Alex Huseman, a nationalist accusation serviceman for nan department. The section is communicating pinch districts to guarantee successful delivery, and it is connected way to get nan remainder of nan kits delivered wrong nan 90-day timeframe.

The measure aligns pinch recommendations contained successful nan department’s 2022-23 opioid response report to nan Legislature, Dunleavy said astatine nan bill-signing ceremonial held astatine nan Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District office successful Palmer.

“It’s a important measurement successful our ongoing conflict against nan addict crisis,” he said.

The contents of an overdose-emergency kit are seen connected Aug. 9, successful nan Alaska Department of Health’s Anchorage office. The kits incorporate 2 doses of naloxone, an overdose-reversal drug, look masks and different cogwheel to beryllium utilized successful nan lawsuit of opioid overdoses. Hundreds of nan kits were assembled that time successful nan agency successful mentation for shipment retired to schoolhouse districts astir nan state. A measure passed by authorities lawmakers requires schools to banal nan kits and to person staffers trained successful really to administer them. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

He noted Alaska’s precocious complaint of overdose deaths. As of March, nan authorities had nan nation’s biggest percent year-over-year increase successful overdose deaths, according to nan U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alaska is 1 of nan fewer states successful which overdose deaths accrued from March 2023 to March 2024, according to nan CDC. And nan decease toll recorded successful 2023 was the highest ever for nan state, according to nan Alaska Department of Health.

The bill’s premier sponsor, Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, said she was pleased that nan measurement passed unanimously.

Ensuring that schools are equipped pinch medicine and skilled group to reside supplier overdoses mightiness beryllium particularly important successful agrarian areas, Johnson said astatine nan bill-signing ceremony. There, “schools are really nan halfway of our communities, not conscionable for children,” she said. “This whitethorn beryllium nan only overdose medicine disposable successful nan entirety of a mini town. I really judge that this is simply a lifesaving Alaska-wide portion of authorities that tin beryllium very —extremely — adjuvant and will decidedly prevention lives.”

The caller rule is akin to laws aliases policies successful spot successful respective different states, according to Johnson’s sponsor statement. Some of those states person mandates akin to that successful Alaska’s caller law, and others supply free overdose-reversal narcotics to schools and authorize schoolhouse labor to usage them, according to accusation provided by Johnson’s office.

Late successful nan session, lawmakers amended nan measure to see provisions astir correspondence schools. Those provisions update reporting requirements, successful accordance pinch a authorities Supreme Court ruling on nan measurement backing is provided for those acquisition programs.

Bills purpose to summation entree to wellness care

Dunleavy signed different wellness attraction bills into rule past week, each pinch Sen. David Wilson, R-Wasilla, arsenic nan premier sponsor. Wilson chairs nan Senate Health and Social Services Committee.

One measure, Senate Bill 45, allows for nonstop wellness attraction agreements, aliases DHCAs, which alteration patients to salary flat, periodic fees for regular aesculapian visits without involving insurers. Such agreements are intended to complement existing security plans and should not beryllium regarded arsenic insurance, according to a connection issued by nan Alaska Senate’s bipartisan majority. The measure clarifies their position and their removal from security regulations, according to nan statement.

Sen. David Wilson, R-Wasilla, astatine halfway left, discusses Senate Bill 45 pinch chap senators connected Wednesday, May 10, 2023. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

“Alaska’s precocious healthcare costs spot a important load connected residents, but Bill SB45 intends to easiness this by allowing nonstop healthcare agreements betwixt patients and providers. These agreements region financial barriers to accessing regular care, specified arsenic preventive, wellness, and chronic attraction services,” Wilson said successful nan statement. “With a DHC plan, nan doctor-patient narration is prioritized, and providers are free from security paperwork. I judge this authorities will supply much-needed relief, making value healthcare much affordable and accessible for each Alaskans.”

Also signed into rule were 2 bills allowing Alaska wellness professionals to beryllium portion of nationalist compacts, frankincense obtaining nan correct to believe successful different personnel states. One was Senate Bill 74, which brings Alaska into an Interstate Physical Therapy Compact. The different compacting measurement was Senate Bill 75, which applies to audiologists — wellness attraction professionals who dainty proceeding nonaccomplishment and equilibrium disorders — and speech-language pathologists, who measure and dainty connection and swallowing problems.

“With nan signing of SB 74 and SB 75, Alaska has entered master licensure compacts for nan first time. These bills pave nan measurement for much providers successful our state. They are a triumph for providers, and they are a triumph for patients waiting for care. Alaska needs to amended our master licensing structure; today, we person taken 1 measurement towards that goal,” Wilson said successful nan Senate Majority statement.

The compacting bills had support from a divers group of organizations, including AARP Alaska, nan Matanuska-Susitna Borough and nan U.S. Department of Defense. The measure received praise from Tammie L. Perreault, nan Defense Department’s location liaison for its military, organization and argumentation office.

“Occupational Licensure compacts person been identified by nan Department of Defense arsenic nan champion shape of licensure reciprocity for professionals moving crossed authorities lines. SB 74 and 75 supply circumstantial provisions to support subject spouses,” Perreault wrote successful a letter to lawmakers.

A different health-provider compacting measure grounded to scope a level ballot earlier nan legislative convention adjourned. That measure, House Bill 149, and its companion version, Senate Bill 130, would person entered Alaska into an interstate nursing compact. The bill’s purpose was to thief alleviate Alaska’s nursing shortage, said the sponsor statement for nan House version.