SB 399

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Authorizes any county or city, or any combination of counties, cities, or counties and cities, to establish a local or regional overdose fatality review team for the purpose of (i) conducting contemporaneous reviews of local overdose deaths, (ii) promoting cooperation and coordination among agencies involved in investigations of overdose deaths or in providing services to surviving family members, (iii) developing an understanding of the causes and incidence of overdose deaths in the locality, (iv) developing plans for and recommending changes within the agencies represented on the local team to prevent overdose deaths, and (v) advising the Department of Health and other relevant state agencies on changes to law, policy, or practice to prevent overdose deaths. The bill authorizes a local or regional team to review the death of any person who resides in the Commonwealth and whose death was or is suspected to be due to overdose. A violation of the confidentiality of the review process is punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor.