Joyce, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Reduce Student Overdoses

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) and Congresswoman Kelly Morrison (MN-03) reintroduced the bipartisan School Access to Naloxone Act. This bill would help reduce opioid overdose deaths amongst young Americans by providing funding to local schools looking to procure and store naloxone for use by trained professionals in school settings. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

“Far too many American students have been or know someone deeply affected by the opioid crisis,” said Congressman Joyce. “Naloxone has proven to be a safe and effective opioid reversal medication, and expanding access to it could save countless lives. At a time when fentanyl is increasingly found in counterfeit pills and other illicit drugs, a single mistake can have deadly consequences. While I support prevention first and foremost, we should be making every effort to save our students’ lives. Thank you to Congresswoman Morrison, Senator Merkley, and Senator Scott for their leadership on such a critical issue.”

“As a doctor, I know having the right equipment and training on site can be the difference between life or death. Our nation is facing a youth mental health crisis, and we need to make sure we are tackling it from every direction. As we work to do everything we can to keep our kids safe, this is an easy, life-saving preventative measure we can – and should – all take. Our children’s health and safety is not a partisan issue. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to ensure our schools have the training and resources they need to save students’ lives,” said Congresswoman Morrison.

“Naloxone saves lives and helping schools stock and administer it is an important part of what needs to be a multi-pronged effort to tackle opioid overdoses. I’ll keep working to deliver federal resources and support individuals and communities suffering from this crisis,” said Senator Merkley.

“I’m proud to join Senator Merkley on our bipartisan School Access to Naloxone Act, to ensure schools can access the resources they need to recognize and treat opioid overdoses and save lives,” said Senator Scott. “I’ll continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to raise awareness of this crisis and promote access to life-saving tools and I urge Congress to pass this bill to help save lives.”

The School Access to Naloxone Act would amend the Public Health Service Act to strengthen and better target existing federal efforts to reduce opioid overdose deaths by expanding access to overdose-reversal medications, such as naloxone, in elementary and secondary schools. While current law already authorizes grant funding to support naloxone access, training, and distribution, it is primarily focused on prescribing these medications and does not clearly address their administration in school settings.

This bill clarifies that existing funds may be used for the administration of overdose-reversal drugs and creates a new, school-specific grant program to ensure these resources reach K–12 schools. Under this bill, eligible entities may receive funding to equip schools with naloxone, maintain an accessible supply, and ensure trained personnel are available to respond to suspected overdoses during school hours.

The legislation also requires participating schools to designate and train staff and ensures states confirm adequate civil liability protections for personnel administering treatment. Overall, the bill builds on existing funding authority by removing ambiguity, establishing clear pathways for school participation, and helping ensure schools are prepared to respond effectively to opioid overdoses.

BACKGROUND 

• Today’s overdose crisis looks very different from how it did a decade ago. With fentanyl increasingly found in counterfeit pills and other illicit drugs, a single pill can kill. As counterfeit pills and fentanyl-laced drugs continue to threaten communities across the country, schools are increasingly being called upon to respond to overdose emergencies. Expanding access to naloxone and ensuring trained personnel can administer it quickly will help schools protect students and save lives.

• Most opioid overdose deaths could be avoided by the timely administration of naloxone, a safe and effective opioid reversal agent.  Whether the overdose is the result of a prescription or a synthetic opioid, naloxone effectively reverses the respiratory depression that causes death.  Additionally, it has no negative effects if administered to an individual who is not experiencing an overdose.

• As exposure and addiction to highly lethal opioids continue to impact a growing number of American adolescents, school staff will continue to serve on the front lines of this crisis.  Schools across the country have developed emergency management plans for overdoses, and ensuring staff are trained and able to quickly access naloxone is a critical part of these protocols.  Additional funding opportunities would allow more American adolescents to access life-saving overdose reversal treatment.

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