New state legislation takes a big step toward fighting the ongoing heroin and opioid epidemic.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed in late June a package of bills to address the growing heroin and opioid abuse crisis. CSEA helped fight to enact the legislation, which includes measures that will make it harder for insurance companies to deny coverage for required treatments, increase training for doctors and other professionals prescribing opioids, limit opioid prescriptions from 30 to seven days, increase substance abuse treatment program options and increase access to overdose reversal medication, including naloxone, also known as Narcan.
For communities across the state — and the thousands of CSEA members whose jobs include dealing with the heroin epidemic — help can’t come soon enough.
“Our members have been playing a major role in fighting heroin and opioid abuse in our state and for many people, this issue has dominated their work,” CSEA President Danny Donohue said. “This legislation will not only help our members provide services that will save lives, but will go a long way toward helping New Yorkers get the help they need.”
