Building on a commitment to reclaim lives from the menace of drug addiction, Governor Christie today signed legislation expanding the bipartisan Overdose Prevention Act of 2013 by adding a provision that provides immunity to first responders. The new law cements in statute the protections for first responders taking part in the Christie Administration’s lifesaving Narcan pilot program and EMS waiver in effect in communities throughout New Jersey.
The bill, S-2378, clarifies immunity provisions for administering and dispensing Narcan to individuals and programs involved in the treatment of substance abuse and those that interact with substance abusers.
“Nearly two years ago, I signed the bipartisan Overdose Prevention Act to protect those good Samaritans who attempt to help a drug overdose victim by administering overdose antidotes in life-threatening situations,” said Governor Christie. “Today, we are cementing in our laws those same protections for our first responders who are doing this incredible, lifesaving work every day under our statewide Narcan program. By doing so, we will have an even greater ability to save lives, reverse the effects of overdose and prevent tragedies with this life-saving treatment.”
The legislation advances the successful efforts of the Attorney General and the Commissioner of the Department of Health over the past year in implementing programs and removing regulatory barriers to enable the widespread availability of Narcan treatment.
According to the most recent statistics provided by Department of Health, 186 EMS squads have registered with the department and 245 Narcan administrations have occurred since the March 2014 waiver signed by Governor Christie.
In addition, 473 law enforcement agencies have been trained in Narcan administration and are currently carrying Narcan on patrol. More than 585 overdoses have been reversed through successful naloxone deployment.
In addition to S-2378, Governor Christie today signed two other bills that will help add to New Jersey’s drug treatment and prevention efforts:
· SCS for S-2373/ACS for A-3716 (Vitale, Addiego/Vainieri Huttle, Sumter, Mukherji, Mosquera, Gusciora) - Requires Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services to annually prepare substance use treatment provider performance report, and make available to public
· SCS for S-2380/ACS for A-3722 (Vitale, Lesniak/Vainieri Huttle, Sumter, Mukherji, Angelini, Mosquera, Gusciora) - Requires DHS and DOC to formulate joint arrangement and plan to ensure provision of mental health and substance use disorder services to inmates
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