The Akron Legal News

Proposal for ambitious response to opioid crisis sits in committee

KEITH ARNOLD
Special to the Legal News
Published: October 17, 2018

If asked to put a meteorological spin on the state's opioid addiction crisis, a pair of Democrat senators might characterize the epidemic as a 100-year rain event or perhaps a flood of biblical proportions.

As such, Sens. Joe Schiavoni and Kenny Yuko of Boardman and Richmond Heights, respectively, believe the problem is sufficient enough to tap the state's $2 billion rainy-day fund and spend $200 million to provide targeted assistance for addiction treatment and prevention programs for afflicted Ohioans.

"This bill would allow us to start addressing the opioid crisis immediately and send resources where they'd be most useful," Schiavoni said in a press release. "Every community is struggling to get a handle on this epidemic, but Columbus' needs may be different than East Liverpool's.

"With this infusion of dollars, local communities will have the flexibility to use these funds where they believe they will have the most impact."

Senate Bill 154 calls for a $100 million infusion to the Local Government Fund earmarked for Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services boards, law enforcement, Child Protective Services, kinship care, first responders and drug courts.

Another $10 million would fund county data collection intended to give the state a broad perspective of the scope of the crisis, while the remaining $90 million would go toward increasing the state's treatment capacity.

Accidental overdose deaths in Ohio are among the nation's highest with 14 people dying every day in 2017, the lawmakers said.

"Drug overdoses have and will continue to cost the state billions of dollars in both direct and indirect costs, if we do not take the steps necessary to combat the issue," Schiavoni told senators seated for the Finance Committee. "We are proposing a $200 million investment ... that will not only help those who are struggling with addiction today but will increase our state's capacity for dealing with this epidemic in the long-term."

Yuko said budget cuts at the local level have reduced county governments' ability to respond sufficiently to what is now the greatest public health crisis in the Buckeye State.

"That is why half of the $200 million appropriated through this bill will be going straight to the Local Government Fund," he said during sponsor testimony. "Those dollars will be specifically earmarked to go towards ADAMHS boards, law enforcement, child protective services, kinship care, first responders, plus establishing and expanding drug courts.

"With this infusion of dollars, locals will have enough flexibility to use these funds where they believe will have the most impact. Though every community is struggling to get a handle on this epidemic, we know that what the city of Columbus needs may be different than what the city of East Liverpool needs."

Additionally, SB 154 would create a statewide treatment availability registry - an online portal that shows a county breakdown of the number of available beds at detox and treatment facilities - which would be updated on a real time basis.

An additional $2 million from the state's General Revenue Fund is sought by lawmakers to create an opioid prevention grant program under the Ohio Department of Education. This would support school- based prevention education initiatives.

Finally, SB 154 would include commercial pharmacies as a resource to get opioids off the street and setting up drug take-back programs.

Yuko explained the insurance piece of the bill.

"When someone needing treatment decides it is time to get help, time is of the essence," he said. "We know that medication-assisted treatment is an effective tool to help those who are struggling with addiction turn their lives around. But people seeking this treatment often have to request prior approval from their insurance company.

"In our bill, insurance companies must provide coverage without prior authorization for diagnosis and treatment of substance abuse disorders."

SB 154 would also require insurers to provide access to abuse-deterrent opioids on their list of covered drugs.

A second hearing of the bill was not scheduled at time of publication.

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