CAF Hosts Virginia's first Harm Reduction and Recovery Advocacy Day
Over 25 advocates supporting Harm Reduction and Recovery gathered at Virginia's General Assembly building to ask lawmaker's to support three critical pieces of legislation that would save lives of individuals who use drugs in Virginia. Thank you to all who came out!
HB791. This is a Comprehensive Harm Reduction bill that repeals the "expiration date" on the authority of the four existing comprehensive harm reduction programs and eliminates the requirement that new comprehensive harm reduction programs be located only in certain communities and receive approval from law enforcement. It also provides participants with immunity for the possession of paraphernalia and residual anounts of drugs in used syringes. full text: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB791
HB532 and SB667 also known as a "Good Samaritan Law" this bill expands protection to BOTH the person calling 911 and the person who has overdosed. It also expands protection from an affirmative defense in course to full fledged immunity.
"Danny's Bill" (SB903) will enact standard operating procedures in hospitals treating an individual for a substance related emergency. Must include a behavioral health assessment, access to pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder if applicable, a naloxone kit, and linkage to community based resources.
