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PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING PROGRAM LAUNCHED
In late August, Pennsylvania became the 49th state to go live with a new tool to assist in addressing the epidemic of opioid and heroin overdoses - a prescription drug monitoring program that will allow prescribers and dispensers to access a patient's prescription medication history through an electronic database and alert them to potential dangers when making treatment decisions.
The program, established by
Act 191 of 2014,
was supported by CCAP as part of its 2014 priority on preventing substance abuse and drug overdose; counties believe a prescription monitoring program is a necessary element of a comprehensive strategy to address the epidemic.
The database will hold information about drugs from Schedule II (drugs with acceptable medical use, but with a higher abuse potential that lead to dependence, such as morphine or oxycodone) through Schedule V (drugs with less abuse potential that contain limited quantities of a controlled substance, such as cough medicines). While Pennsylvania previously tracked Schedule II drugs, the database was available only to law enforcement.
The online database allows prescribers and dispensers of controlled substances to monitor who is obtaining opioids, from whom prescriptions are being obtained, and how often they are prescribed. This critical tool will support clinicians in identifying patients who may be struggling from the disease of addiction and help connect them with treatment services.
Additionally,
abuse of prescribed opiates has also led to heroin addictions, and the prescription drug monitoring program also enables licensed health professionals to monitor individuals who are at risk of abusing or diverting prescription medication and intervene or refer patients to treatment.
Across the commonwealth, substance abuse has been identified as a major cost driver in almost every area of state and county budgets. Impacts are felt in the courts, law enforcement, emergency rooms and publicly funded human services programs. County drug and alcohol programs, run by Single County Authorities (SCAs), are responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive prevention, intervention and treatment programs for each county. The SCAs work with community leadership and stakeholders to assess local needs and develop an array of programs designed to meet the individual needs of each community. Counties have become increasingly involved in discussions about substance abuse and drug overdose, developing community coalitions with local law enforcement, health and emergency personnel, county human services staff, county coroners and district attorneys.
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HOUSE HOLDS HEARING SERIES ON OPIOID EPIDEMIC
The House Republican and Democratic Policy committees, in conjunction with the bipartisan Pennsylvania Heroin, Opioid Prevention and Education (PA-HOPE) Caucus, are completing their series of joint hearings on the opioid addiction crisis, after legislators and Gov. Wolf called for heightened attention to the issue in late June.
The eight-hearing schedule concluded with visits to Williamsport, Scranton and York Aug. 30 through Sept. 1. Throughout the hearings, representatives of law enforcement, health care professionals, the court system, counties, human services providers and state agencies shared with legislators the experiences and challenges that have increased in recent years in dealing with the opioid epidemic. In Williamsport, Cheryl Andrews, Single County Authority administrator for Washington County, testifying on behalf of CCAP affiliate Pennsylvania County Drug and Alcohol Administrators (PACDAA), discussed the need for training for physicians and law enforcement, consistent reporting of overdose death data, evidence-based prevention programs and multi-disciplinary approaches. In addition, coordination and focus of limited funding and resources to provide treatment services should be improved. Lycoming County Commissioner Tony Mussare also discussed the benefits of long-term treatment for addicts.
Terry Clark, Director of the York County Office of Children, Youth and Families, also spoke with committee members in York, noting the increase his agency has seen in placement of children in foster care and suggesting the most likely reason is substance abuse by parents and caregivers. Drug and alcohol issues among parents and caregivers also play a significant role in the number of referrals the agency sees each month, making it that much more difficult for caseworkers to evaluate safety in the child's home. York County is hiring a drug and alcohol specialist just for children and youth to assist with these cases.
Following the eight hearing schedule, the committees are expected to make legislative and policy recommendations for the General Assembly to consider when it reconvenes later in September for the fall session.
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SENATE APPROVES NOMINATION OF NEW AG
On Aug. 29, the PA Senate unanimously confirmed Bruce Beemer as Pennsylvania's Attorney General. Beemer was nominated by Gov. Wolf to the post following the resignation of former Attorney General Kathleen Kane. Bruce Castor, a former Montgomery County district attorney and county commissioner, had been serving as acting Attorney General in the interim.
Beemer, a former homicide prosecutor in the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office, joined the Attorney General's Office under Attorney General Linda Kelly, and remained on staff throughout the transition under former AG Kathleen Kane, where he ultimately became First Deputy Attorney General. Beemer will serve as Attorney General for the remainder of Kane's term until January; the commonwealth will elect a new Attorney General in November who will take office in January 2017.
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LT. GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES VETERANS TASK FORCE
Together with former state Adjutant General Wesley Craig, Lt. Governor Mike Stack has announced the creation of a new task force that will focus on veterans issues.
The 21-member panel, all of whom are veterans, intends to bring together public and private resources, information and strategies to address veterans issues such as employment, housing, mental health, legal concerns and food security. They will identify the most serious issues veterans face on a daily basis and ways in which services can be improved, and develop recommendations that will be provided to the Governor and the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. At its first meeting, the task force heard a presentation from Christian Johnson, Dean of the Widener University Commonwealth Law School, which is creating a veterans legal clinic. The lieutenant governor also noted that the main goal is to figure out where communication among the state's veterans programs can be improved to encourage coordination and reduce duplication.
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NEW FEDERAL SAFETY OVERSIGHT FOR LOCAL TRANSIT SYSTEMS
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced that it has finalized a new rule related to federal oversight for local transit systems, which takes effect Sept. 12, 2016 as part of an effort to adopt a broader national safety program.
Authorized under MAP-21, the 2012 federal surface transportation law, and reauthorized under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015, the final rule outlines a new public transportation safety program that defines best practices, minimum performance levels, and what constitutes a state of good repair. Under the rule, local transit agencies are to use federal funds for safety projects before using those funds for anything else. In doing so, local agencies must adopt a Safety Management Systems (SMS) approach, which promotes a top-down structure and encourages a proactive maintenance schedule that prioritizes safety issues.
The rule allows the FTA to withhold up to 25 percent of a local transit agency's funding under the Urbanized Area Formula, which is the mechanism used to allocate federal funds to local agencies, if the local agency has developed a pattern of noncompliance.
A copy of the final rule addressing the comprehensive safety program for public transportation systems is available through the Federal Register.
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DEP NOTIFIES FARMERS OF NEXT STEPS IN BAY REBOOT
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) sent official notice to nearly 2,000 of the 33,000 farmers located throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed in late August that officials will be visiting in the near future to review erosion and sediment and manure management plans.
While a total maximum daily load (TMDL) has been in place for the Chesapeake Bay for many years, requiring reductions in the levels of nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment entering the Chesapeake Bay, DEP, along with the state's Departments of Agriculture and Conservation and Natural Resources, initiated an official "reboot" strategy earlier this year to recharge efforts to improve water quality standards in the commonwealth and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Part of the reboot effort calls on the county conservation districts to assist with inspection and verification activities related to agricultural sources to assure they are meeting regulatory requirements. The first 2,000 visits are targeted to high-priority sections of the watershed, and will be conducted by either DEP or conservation district staff to verify whether farms possess the required written plans dealing with manure and agricultural process waste water as well as erosion and runoff management. More details are available at DEP's Chesapeake Bay website.
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RESOLUTIONS AND PLATFORM REVISIONS
Under the Association's policy procedure, resolutions were considered at the 2016 CCAP Annual Conference business meeting on Aug. 9, and then were submitted to the full CCAP membership by electronic ballot. Balloting opened on Aug. 16 and closed on Aug. 26. The resolutions amend the Pennsylvania County Platform, the Association's cumulative policy statement. The resolutions and the Platform are available on the Government Relations page of the CCAP website, www.pacounties.org.
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