BILL NUMBER: S5621
SPONSOR: ASHBY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to prehospital emer-
gency medical services for individuals in substance use recovery
 
PURPOSE:
To require that prehospital care includes a question of whether the
person self-identifies as a person in substance use recovery, and to
ensure prehospital care personnel are educated on how to treat these
patients in ways not to derail their recovery efforts, and how to docu-
ment it.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 is the Legislative Intent of the bill.
Section 2 amends the public health law to mandate the health department,
the state emergency medical services council and the regional emergency
medical services council update their policies for prehospital emergency
medical care and transportation related to the assessment and treatment
of patients who identify as a person in substance use recovery. Such
policies must include point-of-entry criteria and a plan for the triage
and transport of such patients.
Section 3 amends public health law to add to reporting requirements of
first response services and ambulances by requiring them to document on
their "detailed individual call reports" if a person identifies as a
person in substance use recovery.
Section 4 is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Emergency personnel are trained to look for intoxication, but not
trained to ask a patient if they identify as a person in substance use
recovery. People in recovery work extremely hard to maintain recovery
and should not be placed in a situation where their recovery is compro-
mised. Emergency personnel need to be trained in how to communicate the
risks of certain medications that could compromise their recovery and
what possible alternatives are available. There also needs to be proper
documentation that the person identifies as a person in substance use
recovery, so that the transfer between ambulance and hospital records is
a smoother transition.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S.7614, referred to Health
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately

Statutes affected:
S5621: 3053 public health law