ES 6

ES 6. Enforce Laws and Regulations that Protect Health and Ensure Safety

Core Function: Assurance

What is the best way to educate the public about local, state, and federal laws and regulations? What is our role advocating for compliance and enforcing regulations that protect and promote health as it relates to substance misuse?

Laws and Resources

  • Connecticut Office of Legislative Research assembled a report in 2018 that provides a comprehensive overview of Connecticut’s “Good Samaritan Laws”, including how they apply to individuals prescribing or administering opioid antagonists, such as naloxone. https://www.cga.ct.gov/2018/rpt/pdf/2018-R-0227.pdf
  • Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) maintains a website with descriptions of current Connecticut laws related to naloxone as well as training materials and a FAQ. https://www.ct.gov/dmhas/cwp/view.asp?a=2902&q=509650
  • An Act Concerning Sober Living Homes (PA 18-171) was passed by the Connecticut General Assembly in 2018, providing definitions and granting DMHAS authority to develop regulations for sober living homes. https://www.cga.ct.gov/2018/ACT/pa/pdf/2018PA-00171-R00HB-05149-PA.pdf 
  • City of New London, Connecticut passed an ordinance in 2018 allowing for the licensing of sober homes and authorizing city officials to inspect for fire, health and safety hazards. Click here for a PDF copy of their ordinance.  
  • Connecticut Treatment Pathways Program (TPP) is an innovative, court-based pretrial diversionary initiative that provides court-based assessment and referral services to individuals with substance use disorders in custody. TPP is now available in selected locations in Connecticut.  http://www.ct.gov/dmhas/lib/dmhas/publications/TPP-FactSheet.pdf 
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Public Health Law Program has developed a toolkit on prescription drugs for public health practitioners and their legal counsel. https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/prescription.html

Local Health Departments and Naloxone

Some Connecticut local health departments have standing orders for naloxone and order and distribute naloxone in their communities. The legal authorization for this was updated in 2018 under PA 18-166, which is available in full here: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2018/ACT/pa/pdf/2018PA-00166-R00SB-00483-PA.pdf  and is also referenced on the DMHAS website here: https://www.ct.gov/dmhas/cwp/view.asp?a=2902&q=509650  For more information, contact the Opioid & Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Program at CT DPH. https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Health-Education-Management–Surveillance/The-Office-of-Injury-Prevention/Opioids-and-Prescription-Drug-Overdose-Prevention-Program