With opioids killing and devastating more people than any other health crisis in Pennsylvania's history, Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday declared a disaster emergency that suspends regulations hindering access to addiction care.
It's the first time a disaster emergency has been declared for a public health crisis in the commonwealth. Usually, disaster emergencies are reserved for major weather events such as a hurricane or for a terrorist attack.
"I don't take this action lightly. We know that this crisis has taken far to many lives. It has broken far too many families. It has decimated far too many communities and it has gone on for far too long," the governor said at an event formally announcing the declaration at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg.
The move eases some regulations that have been barriers to help for the addicted and their families. It will expire in 90 days as required by the state constitution.
The opioid epidemic has hit the commonwealth hard over the past few years. Pennsylvania has the fourth-higest overdose death rate in the United States. Preliminary data shared by Wolf shows 5,260 people died from drug overdose in 2017 — the highest tally ever recorded.
In 2016, more than 4,600 people were killed by overdoses, one of the highest numbers in the United States, according to medical examiner data compiled by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Opioids were present in 85 percent of those deaths.
The proliferation of illicit fentanyl, a opioid designed for use in medical settings that can cause an overdose in minuscule amount, has been a principal cause in large jumps in overdoses and deaths. Cities and states across the country have been grappling with the same issue.
Last year, Philadelphia began implementing recommendations from Mayor Jim Kenney's Heroin Task Force including increasing access to medicine-assisted treatment and court diversion programs. The Philadelphia Fire Department will launch an EMS unit this summer that's dedicated to responding specifically to drug overdoses in the city's Kensington and Fairhill neighborhoods.
Unlike past drug epidemics, rural and suburban counties across Pennsylvania have seen high casualties from opioids, which range in form from street heroin to prescription painkillers like Percocet, OxyContin, and Vicodin. Nationally, the crisis has cut life expectancy for 2nd year.
Wednesday's emergency disaster declaration reduces the bar for getting people into addiction treatment programs by waiving a requirement that a doctor must have a face-to-face interaction with a person before admitting them into a program. Hospitals won't be required to get a separate license to offer treatment, either.
The state will waive fees to have a duplicate birth certificate produced. The certificates are often required as proof of residency for insurance and treatment programs and can be a surprising barrier to getting help.
Medics responding to overdose calls will be able to leave behind additional doses of nalonxone so drug users can prevent death if another overdose happens in the future.
Pharmacists will be asked to provide the overdose reversal drug widely, likely for free or at a reduced price. Currently, anyone can purchase naloxone at a Pennsylvania pharmacy.
Better data collection is required under this declaration as well. It requires that overdoses and neonatal abstinence syndrome — the medical term applied to children born addicted to drugs — are added as reportable conditions and tracked by state and local entities. Often, health officials only have coroner data to rely on.
An Opioid Operation Command Center will launch within the state's emergency management agency and be staffed by employees of nine state departments including health, state police, and others.
Wolf has made the fight against the opioid crisis a major area of focus for his administration. The state launched a prescription drug monitoring program to cut down on doctor shopping and identify pill mills. His administration also provided funding to create treatment centers of excellence and increase access to the overdose reversal drug naloxone, known by the brand name Narcan.
Pennsylvania is the eighth state to declare the opioid crisis a disaster emergency. Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Virginia have previously made similar declarations. Wolf didn't rule out signing another emergency declaration in three months should officials need more time to better address the crisis.
This is a developing story. Check back shortly for updates.
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